Erokoi no Shototsu
by ChikaiItachi
Summary: How did the kids of Group One end up in the pairings seen in Shin Sekai Yori episode 8? This is their story. Shototsu no Erokoi means "the warfare of love" - specifically, sexual love. The kids face all kinds of drama and conflict as they fall in love. Yaoi and Yuri. Note: this is NOT meant to be an erotic fanfic. However, a few scenes contain moderate adult content. M to be safe.
1. Commence Conflict!

****Sage Academy, Hayring Village, Country of Kamisu 66****

The children of Sage Academy were using their Cantus to work on individual assignments. Sensei Endou took turns visiting each group's table, offering encouragement, advice, and constructive criticism. Group One was special, being allowed to live despite having met a false Minoshiro, so Endou kept an especially close eye on that group. This year, they had all turned thirteen, so they had the potential to become rowdier.

Each member of Group One worked on something that would target their shortcomings. Mamoru Itou had difficult multitasking, so he was practicing keeping two stones rolling in opposite directions at the same time. Satoru Asahina needed to improve his patience, so he was working on reassembling a broken glass using Cantus. Maria Akizuki grew easily irritated when working with chemical compounds, so she was laying our herbal roots and practicing drawing out their pungent, medicinal juices for tinctures. Saki Watanabe had trouble paying attention to fine detail, so she was using her Cantus to sharpen pencils without breaking their tips. As for Shun Aonuma, his talent was well rounded in all areas, so he was given an advanced assignment. He was working on changing the chemical and biological state of a sapling so that its green leaves would change color like in autumn. The five children were all working hard, and everything was going well until Saki snapped a pencil.

Satoru snickered at the girl to his left. "Hey Saki," he grinned, "aren't you kind of missing _the point_?"

"Shut up," Saki growled. "I've seen your glass break apart three times, so you have no room to talk!"

"Sure, but _my_ assignment was just to improve my patience. I haven't lost my temper once. So I think I'm doing better than you. Hey, hey Saki—maybe your wit needs to be _sharpened_."

Mamoru, at the far left end of the table beyond Maria and Shun, let his concentration slip. The round stones he was trying to keep on a straight path veered off course and toppled over the edge of the table.

"You guys," he complained in his light voice, looking over at Saki and Satoru. "You made me mess up. Please don't fight each other, guys. Let's all get along."

"There's absolutely no way I'm getting along with this mulish jerk!" Saki exclaimed. "Lately, he's always picking on every little thing I do! Then he expects me to be nice when he tries to show off!"

"Geeze," Satoru quipped, "how is it that girls can get so emotional so quickly?"

"You boys just hide your emotions," Saki retorted. "And then you refuse to admit you're being emotional when you're angry or you don't get what you want. You're the irrational ones. Boys are pathetic!"

"But Saki," said Shun, sitting between Mamoru and Maria, "I'm a boy, too." He looked up briefly from his sapling and focused his smiling green eyes on Saki.

Suddenly, Saki felt terrible for what she had just said. "Well," she stammered, replacing anger with nervousness, "you're just an exception, Shun. As boys go… well, I think you're amazing."

Satoru laughed. "It looks like Saki has a little crush. Her secret—"

Shooting out her right hand, Saki grabbed hold of Satoru's left ear, twisting it. "Shut up!" she screamed.

"Dammit, let me go! I'm not a little child!"

A defeated sigh escaped the lips of the redheaded girl sitting between Saki and Shun. "I guess I have no choice but to get involved," she mused. "Saki, please let go of Satoru and return to your assignment. Satoru is certainly being childish, but if you continue to react to his behavior, you'll only prove your own childishness. And anyway, Sensei Endou is signaling us to be quiet."

Realizing the sense in the redhead's words, Saki released Satoru and stopped fussing. She leaned over and rested her head on Maria's right shoulder. She murmured, "But Maria, my assignment is so hard."

Maria gently patted Saki on the head. "I know it's difficult, dear. But you can't say it's impossible until you've tried your very best to do it. If you get through the rest of class working hard, then you can come to my house for tea and some fun."

"Really?!" cried Saki. She threw her arms around Maria. "I'll definitely do my best, then! Just watch me!"

"Wait," Satoru interrupted impatiently. "Aren't the rest of us invited? You make delicious tea, Maria."

"Sorry," replied Saki smugly, "but it's girls only."

"Actually," Maria rejoined, "I was going to let little Mamoru come with us."

"Fine then," Saki agreed. "Girls only, plus Mamoru."

"Mamoru's too delicate and nervous to be a man, anyway," giggled Satoru.

"That's quite enough," said Sensei Endou, approaching Group One's table. "You all are distracting the other groups. Please get back to your assignments. Tomorrow, we will be having a special lesson that ties in well with the bickering of group members. You've all grown up enough to develop your own set of emotional reactions. Also, you should have realized that conflict is becoming more pronounced as you begin adolescence. In our society, physical interaction is the best way to soothe feelings and calm conflicts. More on this topic tomorrow."

***Akuzi Residence, White Sand Village, Kamisu 66***

White Sand Village was the westernmost of the eight villages in Kamisu 66. It was built next to a large lake, and got its name from the white sand surrounding the gentle shore ten miles long and in places a mile wide. The people in White Sand were generally a little better off than some of the other villages, such as Waterwheel. They owed this prosperity to the many goods and services provided by the lake's wetlands. The main economy was built on the fishing industry, but supplemented with farming and a lot of merchant traders.

Maria's house was large and made of strong wood further reinforced by synthetic materials. Against the front side of the house, facing toward the shore of the lake, a fine wooden deck had been built. It was a great place for sitting and watching the sunset on the lake. Above the low deck, shouji doors led into the main sitting room, decorated in a fairly traditional Japanese style with tatami flooring. A low bamboo table stood in the center of the room, and it was here that Maria served tea to Saki and Mamoru. After brewing and steeping the loose-leaf tea, the kids drank it out of small, round porcelain cups.

"It's my first time making this blend," said Maria excitedly. "Well? What do you think?!"

Mamoru coughed. "It's very spicy," he muttered nervously.

"I like the spiciness," Saki told her hostess. "It's well balanced by that other flavor, the one that's rich and just slightly nutty."

"Good analyzation," Maria complimented her. She then launched into lively speech, her skin looking radiant, and her Aegean eyes sparkling. "This tea is a blend of ginger root and violet soshi leaves and flowers. Isn't the fragrance nice? I got the fresh plant materials from a merchant and dried them out myself. I suppose this blend is too hot and strong for summer, but I'll make a bunch more in autumn. Next I want to make a blend of Gyokuro and chrysanthemum with bits of dried Ume. I can probably find a merchant who sells high quality green tea, and for the mums, I was hoping I could harvest some from your flower garden, Saki."

"Of course," Saki replied generously. "I'll always do whatever I can to help you."

She had been listening in smiling contentment. Since she loved gardening, Saki was always thrilled to learn what sort of plants could be used to make tea. The girl also loved being pampered by Maria when she was in hostess mode. Saki could not help smiling whenever Maria got excited, regardless of the topic. Having Maria as a friend was the highest of privileges in Saki's mind. The two girls had gotten along well since their second year in Waterwheel's Harmony Elementary, but it wasn't until this year that Saki started to realize why they got along.

Everyone in Group One liked each other and enjoyed hanging out, but Saki and Maria grew especially close since they were the only girls. Maria was the caretaking type; she loved to be around slightly less mature friends and set a good example for them, teaching with confidence and etiquette. Saki had always longed to have a sister, and became lonely quite easily, so she loved having Maria around. She admired every talent, quirk, and thought expressed by Maria. The girls also had a lot in common. They possessed roughly equal abilities with Cantus, they loved walking and gardening, and both were curious, stubborn, and intelligent. They had been friends for so long now that they trusted and confided in each other, which in turn strengthened their bond more.

"Maria," said Mamoru, growing uncomfortable as the girls silently stared at each other. "Let me do something to help. Is everyone finished with their tea? I'll wash out the cups in the kitchen."

"Thank you, dear," Maria smiled sweetly.

Mamoru smiled back, and his face seemed strangely flushed.

When the little boy had left the room, Maria scooted closer to Saki, put an arm around her shoulder, and whispered, "Tell me. Saki, while we're alone, tell me if Satoru was right earlier today. Is Shun your crush?"

"W-well," Saki stammered. "He stays so distant, so I don't know if I know him enough to really, really like him. But I do think he looks very handsome. I'm always amazed by his talent with Cantus. I don't know if I have a crush or what, but it's true that I wish he would talk to me more."

Maria gave a little squeal as if hearing a juicy, taboo secret. "Oh my god, Saki! You've finally started to show interest in someone. It's exciting to see everyone changing so fast and grappling with these new emotions. Mamoru is going through the same thing."

"He's attracted to a girl?" Saki asked in surprise.

"Yes. You see, he seems to have a tremendous crush on me. I'm not really interested in him right now, but I don't have the heart to tell him to back off. He's such a precious little thing."

"Uh… sure," Saki agreed hesitantly. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt highly irritated with the boy wallflower of Group One. Her mood worsened as the day went on. She wished she understood why.


	2. Rules of Warfare

**Author's Note: This is the chapter in which the stage is set for the love and drama to come. It's still too early for "action." xD**

***Sage Academy, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

The next day at school, all the students returned to their Cantus assignments. Sensei Endou passed by each table and then strode back to the wide, grey-topped teacher's desk at the front of the room.

The old teacher addressed them. "Alright everyone, while working, please pay attention. This will be a special lesson that all the students of Sage Academy must hear starting at age thirteen. It's a rule ordered by both the Ethics and Education Committees. We will talk about solving conflict. Legends say that in the distant past, humans were capable of killing other humans. What do you think would drive them to such insanity? Theoretically, we believe disparity and conflict were the culprits. In our reality, of course, it's impossible for any of us to kill another human, but sometimes humans still harm each other. We wound each other's hearts and sometimes injure each other's bodies. In these cases too, conflict is the cause. Something might start as a small disagreement, but if you do not counter the stress and negative emotions with positive experiences, the conflict can quickly go out of control."

Endou cleared his throat, ready to get into the heart of the matter. "The best way to relax and let go of anger and pain is to seek comfort from another person. Sometimes, a pat on the back or a word of kindness is enough. But oftentimes, we need to use something more effective, such as consensual physical contact and sexual play."

Shun stood up wearing a frown. "Sensei, isn't love much more significant than simply being a means to avoid pain? My parents taught me this way. They told me not to love just anybody, because that would cheapen the value of true love."

Endou spoke rather dismissively. "Yes, there are those who treasure sentimental values like the one you mentioned. But in the world of adults, we must be practical, and use the most effective means to reduce suffering and violence. Having a casual lover as a teenager is the best, tried-and-true method for enhancing harmony, provided everything is consensual and the appropriate rules are followed. Still, no one is going to punish you if you don't choose a lover. If you dislike sensual contact, don't participate."

Sitting back in his seat, Shun looked irritated. Saki looked at him with sympathy. She believed that sensual contact was the best solution, since humans had been genetically modified to think that way. However, she wasn't the type of person who could make out with just anyone. The young girl had once tried to bring pleasure to Satoru, but she had stopped midway, feeling uncomfortable. Saki knew she could only tolerate physical intimacy with someone she was certain she loved.

"This is the appropriate course of events concerning sexuality," the Sensei went on. "As small children, you are encouraged to hug, cuddle, and use other forms of affection with your family. Around age ten to twelve, you are encouraged to be curious about sexual affection. Most kids observe older teenagers and adults engaging in acts of mild to moderate sexuality. This is also when you are taught basic sex education. Most of today's humans have started to experience their own sensual desires by age thirteen. Starting now, the middle of your thirteenth summer, you are each permitted to select a lover who will help you relieve stress. You needn't stay with the same person for a long time. If you fall in love with someone new, separate from your previous partner as kindly as you can. These activities, commonly referred to as 'dating', may go on for however long you like, until age thirty. At this time, the Ethics Committee demands that you select a partner with whom to raise a child. You are to stay committed and faithful to one another until that child turns thirteen. Then you may remain with your partner, divorce your partner, practice dating older people, or choose to be solitary. That is the basic progression of sexuality for all 6,000 citizens of Kamisu 66."

Endou stopped pacing. "There are a few more points I need to make and a few rules that you need to know. Before we get into the details, though, let me make sure everyone is familiar with basic education on the topic of sex. You should have learned from your parents and from your studies. Raise your hand if you understand."

All of the students raised their hands, most of them without the slightest trace of embarrassment or the tinniest cackle at a childish joke. The humans of this current world were made to be more open about sex through a combination of genome changes and lifelong conditioning. Questions and conversation about sex and various forms of sensual pleasure were not considered taboo. As such, there was no fun in making crude jokes on the topic. Since most of the children had observed teenagers and parents openly caressing, cuddling, and making out with each other, they felt no shame when considering the subject.

"Just to make sure everyone knows," said Sensei Endou, "who can tell me the most common type of sexual desire and attraction?"

A smart girl from Group Three raised her hand. "Attraction is most commonly observed between a male and a female. They may aim to become lifelong partners someday, but their immediate physical desire is for sexual intercourse."

"And, without special medicine from the Ethics Committee, what is usually the result of intercourse between a male and a female?"

A boy of Group Four stood up. "Pregnancy," he stated.

"Very good." Endou began to pace slowly in front of the large blackboard. "Seventy percent of our population are exclusively attracted to the opposite gender. They have a subconscious desire to produce children. However, this does not mean that male-female penetrative sex is the only form of sensual pleasure. It also does not mean that the traditional couple is the only kind of couple. Who can give me an example?"

It was Satoru's turn to answer. "Sexual affection is also observed between members of the same sex."

"Indeed," Endou nodded. "A male may feel attraction and desire towards another male. The same applies to ardor between two females. There are also those who are equally attracted to both genders. Homosexual and bisexual orientations together occur in roughly thirty percent of our populace. In the distant past, the people of the world hated and feared homosexuals and bisexuals. However, our society has evolved beyond that point. We consider same-sex relations permissible. In addition, penetrative intercourse is not the only act that can produce erotic enjoyment. Couples are free to sexually express themselves with any form of foreplay that does not harm their partner or others."

"Excuse me?" asked Satoru, being polite for once. "There's something that's been bothering me lately. You say that homosexuality is permissible, and yet the required union by age thirty can only be between a male and a female. That doesn't make sense. What if… what if someone wanted to have a family unit with someone of the same gender?"

"You are permitted to date and love people of the same sex for the remainder of your life, except for the thirteen years you are required to live with someone of the opposite gender to raise a child. This may seem like a stringent law, but there is good reason behind it. Humans are the rulers of our planet, but for having so much power and control, we are short on numbers. There are less than 300,000 humans across the entire archipelago of Japan. Male-female union is the only way to produce children. That's why it's the solemn duty of every couple to attempt to raise at least one child."

Satoru sat down, looking as irritated as Shun. Though he had not yet openly admitted it, he was one of the thirty percent of people attracted to the same gender. Satoru liked guys. He had always liked guys. He couldn't imagine being forced to spend thirteen entire years living with a female partner.

Sensei Endou folded his arms and took on a grim expression. "That's not the only rule that can seem unfair," he stated. "There are one or two others that usually rub students the wrong way. Nevertheless, you must trust the Ethics and Education Committees and submit. Starting this summer, all thirteen-year-old girls of Sage Academy will be given a special medicine. This medication prevents pregnancy until such a time as the Education Committee deems you worthy of bearing a child. That being said, none of you should be taking actions that could lead to pregnancy, anyway. Explicit or extreme sexual acts are not encouraged before age eighteen. If anyone finds you in the act of intercourse before you are eighteen, you will be expelled from Sage Academy and undergo punitive action by the Education Committee. Have fun, but use discretion. Alright class, that is all for today's lesson. Remember to discuss any remaining questions with your parents. Sage Academy wants to reduce the pressure on all its precious students, so make sure you seriously consider 'asking out' your respective crush."

As they walked toward their homes, Shun, Satoru, Maria, Saki, and Mamoru all felt a deep sense of uneasiness. It was like the calm before a storm. Satoru felt like a war had just begun.


	3. The First Wounds

***Watanabe Residence, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

After class, Saki invited Maria to stay overnight so they could spend some time together and share a nice dinner. Saki lived in Hayring, a half an hour's walk from Sage Academy. Maria was happy to walk for the chance to talk alone with Saki and enjoy being out in the summer evening.

The sky was turning pinkish with the first hints of sunset when the girls reached the Watanabe Residence. It was a modest but elegant pagoda-style house with two stories and a small attic. The abode was built just feet away from one of the water canals that crisscrossed and connected all of Kamisu 66. Several rare boats were tied up next to the house, and behind that there was a shed full of the highest quality fishing supplies. Saki's family did not spend their fairly abundant funds on making the house look better; instead, each of Saki's parents invested money and time into their hobbies. For Mr. Watanabe, it was fishing, and for Mrs. Watanabe, it was book-collecting and reading.

The girls entered the house, still chattering about their thoughts and interests, and debating over which students would choose each other as lovers. After removing their shoes and washing up, Saki and Maria went in the kitchen and got to work. While Saki worked on the main course of tonkastu, Maria prepared the ton-jiru soup. Mrs. Watanabe sat in the next room (the dining area) using her Cantus to generate a small amount of electricity to power the rice cooker.

"I may not be a great cook," said Maria, slicing up strips of leftover pork to mix into the simmered soup stock, "but I do enjoy it. I'll try to cook anything once. I wonder if that will be a blessing or a curse to my future husband?"

"It's definitely a blessing," Saki replied, covering the quality pork cutlets with egg and panko. "You don't give yourself enough credit; your cooking is wonderful. As for me, I don't enjoy cooking much at all—except to spend time with you, of course."

Saki affectionately nudged Maria's lower side with a side-swing of her hips. Normally, she would have hugged the redhead, but she didn't want to risk touching her with greasy hands. It did not occur to Saki at that point that her gesture had been flirtatious.

"Oh, you," Maria chuckled; "you're always praising me."

"Of course." Saki set the cutlets on a large pan and started frying them in cooking oil. "It's my duty as a parishioner to praise and worship the goddess. Remember what we used to say when we were ten? You said you start 'The Church of Megumi Maria', and I promised to be your first worshiper."

Maria added the miso paste, wiped her hands with a cloth, and hugged Saki from behind. "I can't believe you still those days," she said. "It's so sweet of you. But you know, Saki." She started to tease. "The cabbage you chopped to go with the tonkatsu looks pretty clumsily done. And you don't enjoy cooking or chores. But you're good at praising pretty women. Saki, how are you going to be a wife someday when you're more like a husband?"

"Hmph! How rude, Maria." Still, Saki couldn't help a chuckle. "You might be right, though. I like fishing and swimming and exploring just as much as my dad. I've always thought it would be great to be like a knight who serves and protects a fine lady."

Using her Cantus, Maria started breaking the green onions into small pieces. "Well, I suppose one can be a knight and a woman at the same time." The playful smile had left her face and she looked rather serious for a minute. "If you want to be like a knight, though, you have to find a beautiful lady. Saki, I think you would be well suited to choose a girl as your lover."

"Me?" Saki asked in surprise. She had not yet realized her own natural inclinations. "Well… now that I think about it… I guess I'm not against dating a girl. But do you think there are any girls at Sage Academy who really like the same gender?"

The redhead smiled mysteriously. "Maybe there are, maybe there aren't."

***Aonuma Residence, Pinewind Village, Kamisu 66***

Shun Aonuma experienced a strange dream that night. He found himself standing on a low stone wall between a forest and a battlefield. He somehow knew that the forest was the place he belonged. The ancient trees that he grew up around were soothing to look at, and the air was filled with the scent of pine needles. As he gazed at the pines, Shun suddenly realized his parents were there, standing together on a stone platform half-shrouded by trees. They were kissing passionately, their lips separating and rejoining, pulling apart and then pressing together. They held each kiss for several seconds, letting their tongues interact and exploring each other's mouths.

Seeing this, Shun felt disgusted, but only at first. Soon he grew curious. Mr. Aonuma was touching his wife's chest, each hand gently squeezing a breast. Shun wondered what that must feel like, and he felt a strange longing to be near a girl and see her bare chest. Mrs. Aonuma had an expression on her face like pain, and yet not quite like pain. Was it some kind of pleasure? Shun desperately wanted to feel it himself.

"Come on, Shun," said a cheery voice.

The voice belonged to Saki. She, Maria, Satoru, and even Mamoru ran past Shun, out of the forest and into the open battlefield. The four of them were laughing happily, and kept calling out to Shun to join them. But Shun was so shocked he didn't know what to do. For some reason, the four young adolescents were not wearing any clothes. Even the usually modest Saki was completely naked. Shun couldn't help staring at her. Her skin looked seemed to have an angelic glow to it, her hair had an unusual smoothness and shine, and the way she could move her small, feminine body was hypnotizing. Her chest was just beginning to develop a little, and Shun found this incredibly endearing. He was filled with a sweet, heavy happiness mixed with a mad longing.

"Come and join us, Shun," Saki said, the inviting words flowing from her smooth, Azalea-pink lips.

"No, son." It was the voice of Shun's mother. "Do not join them. If you enter that battlefield, you'll never be able to return to your home in the forest." She was staring at Shun coldly. "What your father and I have, that's true love. The love of adults. The love between children is vacuous, and quick to die."

Shun hesitated for several seconds. He truly respected his parents and had no intention of parading around the usual teenage rebelliousness in his own life. So, at first he trusted the words of his mother. As the seconds passed, though, they felt like years. Shun felt unbelievably lonely. He tried to ignore the pain, but it grew until he could bear it no longer.

Mr. Aonuma shouted at his son to turn back, but Shun ignored him, running as fast as he could out of the forest. As he ran, he became aware that he was really only lonely for Saki. He jumped over the stone wall and dashed out into the battlefield, looking around wildly for any sign of the brunette girl. Finally, he spotted her, but she no longer paid any attention to him. Saki lay in the grass on top of Maria's body, covering the redhead's pale, elegant skin with loving kisses.

"What's wrong, Shun?" Saki asked without bothering to look up at him. "Are you lonely? Why don't you find your lover? The person you love will help you. As for me, I'm busy."

Suddenly, Shun felt vulnerable, small, and broken. He lowered himself onto his knees, and tears began to fill in his green eyes. That Saki would not look at him, that Saki was kissing someone else—these facts truly, deeply hurt. Despair engulfed the boy. His heart was broken.

"It looks like you hesitated too long. But don't give up. Don't cry. There is still someone you love."

Just as the dream was ending and Shun's vision was going black, he heard those words. The voice speaking them was familiar, but somehow, Shun could not remember to whom it belonged. Whoever it was had just sat down beside the heartbroken boy. The familiar stranger embraced him. Shun's pain began to lessen. As he woke up from the strange dream, he wondered… who was embracing him with so much love? Who had spoken those words of hope? Why did Shun feel so strongly attached to the one who had come to relieve his pain? Who was it?

***Asahina Residence, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

Satoru and his parents lived in one of the smaller stone houses in Hayring. It was fairly plain affair, but Mrs. Asahina loved home décor, so she made the most of it. One of her favorite things to do was select large paintings and hang them up around the house. Satoru found most of the paintings boring, but he enjoyed going with his mother to buy the art so he could pick out smaller pieces for himself. Besides the paintings, the only unique aspect of the house was the large cellar-basement. Satoru spent a lot of time in that cool, stone cellar, especially during the evening and nights. Satoru's dad was never around anymore, and his mother worked a night job, so most evenings, the boy was all alone. Occasionally, however, he invited a special friend to join him. That night, the friend came over without permission.

Rei Genji entered the basement, which was only dimly lighted by a single lantern, and closed the door behind him. The short boy's grey eyes were alight with anticipation. He took off his light jacket and rushed over to where Satoru sat on a soft blanket overtop the cold stone. When Rei hugged him, the force of it almost knocked Satoru onto his back.

"Rei," said the taller boy in surprise. He gently petted Rei's head, running his fingers threw his deep mahogany hair. "Rei… it was really thoughtful of you to come over tonight. I guess you heard the news about my dad, huh?"

Hayring was the village with the highest population and most public facilities, but gossip still spread like wildfire among the quaint villagers. For the last two days, the target of gossip was Satoru's family. Mr. Asahina had suddenly announced, on Shun's thirteenth birthday, that he would be leaving the family. He would buy his own small residence in Gold Village, and he told his wife and child not to bother visiting him. At first, Satoru and his mother did not take his words seriously, because Mr. Asahina had threatened to leave many times before. Now that Satoru was thirteen, however, he could now legally abandon the family. Three days ago, Mr. Asahina had disappeared. He hadn't been seen in Hayring since, and Satoru was forced to accept the truth.

"Yes, I heard," said Rei, voice full of genuine sympathy. "That's exactly why I came. I'll keep you company tonight." Sitting on his knees, he lowered his head until it was pillowed in Satoru's lap.

Satoru looked annoyed and sympathetic at the same time. "I don't mind if you stay over," he said. "But still, Rei, you know… it can't be like it was before. I told you, I'm not interested anymore."

Rei sat up, took off his shirt, and pushed Satoru backwards. He lowered his body gently on top of Satoru's and quickly leaned in to kiss his crush. But Satoru turned his head to the side, refusing to kiss.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked. "We're actually allowed to be together, at last! You shouldn't feel reluctant. And if you're refusing because you're depressed, I know how to cheer you up. This is how we relieve stress, isn't it?"

Rei kissed the side of his love's cheek, and gently caressed his face and neck. Satoru didn't knock Rei off of him because he felt conflicted. The short boy had such appeal…his soft, exposed skin, the breathlessness in his voice, the quiet strength and stubbornness in his grey eyes… Satoru felt himself growing, and he could tell Rei was already getting hard. However… with great restraint, Satoru lifted the smaller boy off of him and let him fall to the side. They both sat up.

"Rei, I'm not going to say this again. I'm not interested in being your lover. I don't want you touching me."

Angry tears came to Rei's eyes. "That's bullshit! You're only saying these things because you're troubled. We've been secret lovers for a whole year. You can't kill that love by just saying 'it's over', and not giving any kind of explanation! I think it's because there _is_ no explanation, no reason. You're just being capricious!"

Satoru got his feet, pushed his hair out of his face, and handed Rei's shirt back to him. He seemed torn between speaking and staying quiet. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke.

"Rei. I respect you enough to not dump you for no good reason. So, I'll tell you the reason. I'm sorry, Rei… but… there's someone else. I am deeply in love with a boy, and it's not you. I've loved this young man for a long time, but I was always afraid that he wouldn't accept me. That's why I started using you to comfort me. I'm sorry, Rei, but that's the truth."

Satoru would never forget the anguished cry of his first lover as he was forced to accept the truth. He and Rei wouldn't speak to each other for another full year at least. That was the last night Rei ever visited the Asahina residence.


	4. The Battle of Pinewind

***Itou Residence, White Sand Village, Kamisu 66***

In the lawn outside his lakeside house, Mamoru stood painting on a tripod canvas. Lately, painting and drawing seemed to be the only things to which he paid attention. Well, plus Maria. He had always paid attention to Maria. But just three days ago, she turned him down before he even finished confessing his feelings.

Mamoru was a devoted creature. He had no intentions of finding a different girl, or any lover, for that matter. He would wait for Maria. If she never came to love him, then he would simply refuse to ever have a lover, even if it made him a criminal. Even now, he was painting a scene of Maria walking along the beach. Although he thought his image of Maria looked lonely, he was too humble to try to paint himself beside Maria, so he decided to add Saki.

"She's always together with Maria, after all," Mamoru said glumly. That reminded him of something.

In his mind, he started to relive the end of his last conversation with Maria. The redhead had just turned him down, and Mamoru was doing his best to think positive and not cry. He tremblingly asked her if they could at least still be friends. Maria replied that of course they could be friends; they would continue to be close friends.

"Close friends like you and Saki?" Mamoru had asked.

"Well," Maria considered, "maybe not quite like me and Saki. We've known each other for six years through all kinds of ups and downs. Saki's the person I trust more than any other human being."

"If what it takes is time and trust," said Mamoru, "then one day I'll be as precious to you as Saki."

"…Maybe." Maria's smile betrayed some sign of worry. "I think Saki is going to be hard to beat, though. She's smart, determined, compassionate, altruistic, funny, and beautiful. She can usually tell what I'm thinking before I say anything, and she's able to think abstractly and generate more ideas, compared to me. I want to make sure we stay together for our entire lives, if possible."

Mamoru was taken aback. "Maria… you know… it sounds like you're talking about a lover."

"N-no, it's not like that at all!" lied Maria. "We're, uh, more like sisters!"

In reality, the redhead actually did love Saki, but she didn't want to draw attention to herself or take away from the happiness that Saki might find with Shun. And anyway, Maria thought, she could still secretly love Saki whether or not the brunette paired up with someone else. They could still hold hands, cuddle, and give long, warm embraces without anybody thinking it was weird. Never being able to kiss Saki was a sad thing to think about, but Maria loved her so much that she could forego that privilege. In this way, she and Mamoru were quite similar.

"Um," said Mamoru, "do normal sisters still hold hands, in public, when they're thirteen? Also, seriously, you two hug each other every single time you see each other, as if you've been apart for ages."

"I'm—I'm just a touchy-feely person," Maria stammered.

"No, you're not," Mamoru stated. "You've only rarely ever touched me."

Maria sighed in defeat. "Look. Think whatever you want about us. But please don't go saying that to Saki. She seems to like Shun a bit from the outside, which means she's probably totally in love with him on the inside. I have no intention of rocking the boat."

Mamoru shook his head, remembering the conversation. He was usually confident enough in his own masculinity to not be irritated when people called him a girl. However, in this case, he felt like his pride as a male had, for once, completely deflated; Maria loved a girl, Saki, more than she would ever love him.

****Aonuma Residence, Pinewind Village, Kamisu 66****

The next day, Saki, Maria, and Satoru headed uphill on a forested path toward the house where Shun lived. Satoru trudged several paces ahead of where the two girls whispered and chattered with each other, holding hands. Shun had invited all of Group One to come to his place to eat some sweets and pastries which they would all cook together. Mamoru had declined the invitation because he felt miserable. When Saki saw him briefly, the boy's hair was a mess, his shoulders were slumped forward, and his large, golden eyes looked about ready to start leaking tears.

"He looked for all the world like a puppy who got kicked," Maria told Saki in a voice too low for Satoru to hear. "I do feel bad for him, but I'm not going to make myself uncomfortable just to make him feel good. You see, he grabbed my hand yesterday evening and also kissed my cheek."

Saki couldn't find it in her to pity Mamoru that day. She surprised herself with how repulsed she was at the idea of him dating Maria. The emotion didn't seem to make any rational sense.

"I hope you told Mamoru off for trying to kiss you," Saki grumbled. "You at least yelled at him, right?"

"Not at all," Maria chuckled. "I told him I thought he was cute, but that I didn't think we would work as lovers. Mamoru needs someone to help and serve him, someone to praise him, and someone to understand him. That would be fine if it were give and take, but he's constantly the needy one. Sometimes, I want to be served, I want to praised, and I want to be understood, too."

"You really know what you want," observed Saki. "Does that mean you have your eye on someone?"

Maria paused, considered, and with a giggle, darted ahead of Saki to catch up with Satoru.

"I may or not love somebody," she stated. "For now, it's a secret."

"Why does she need to keep it secret from me?" Saki wondered to herself irritably. "Whoever it is she likes, he's already pulling away Maria's trust in me. Maria, why must you like boys at all?"

Soon, the four of them entered the Aonuma residence. The evergreen forest surrounding Pinewind encroached on Aonuma land; pines and evergreen shrubs grew behind the house and to both sides, enclosing it in a semicircle. In front of the residence was a well-kept patio-courtyard made of thin slabs of grey stone. As for the house itself, the bottom story was wide and built of stone, while the upper layer was narrower and made of dark wood. A sloping slate-blue roof, rust-red columns, and double doors made the large abode resemble a pagoda. The trademark of the Aonuma house, though, had to be the large tree that grew right up through the very center of the house.

Saki, Maria, and Satoru were welcomed by Shun and his mother. Satoru paused to embrace Shun warmly, which made Shun look mildly surprised, but at all perturbed. Mrs. Aonuma left for the Pinewood Market, and everyone else filed into the spacious kitchen. For the next two hours, the four children chatted, joked, and shared stories while cooking. Maria talked about saying no to Mamoru, but everybody else stayed quiet on the topic of dating and young love.

"I think I'm going to take a short walk toward that grove of really old pines," Maria announced while everyone was waiting for pastries to bake in the oven. "Saki, you look kind of cranky, so you can stay here. Satoru, will you come with me?"

"Huh?" the boy said. "Why? I'd rather stay with Shun…"

Maria grabbed Satoru's hand. "I have to tell you something important. Just come with me for just like five or ten minutes."

"I'll come, too," Shun stated. "I really like the ancient evergreens around here."

"Don't be silly, Shun," Maria spoke hastily. "Someone's got to keep an eye on the oven. If we leave it up to Saki, she'll burn your house down. You two just wait for us. We'll be right back." As she walked toward the back door, pulling Satoru along with her, Maria briefly turned her head back toward the confused Saki. She winked. Then she left.

All at once, Saki understood what was going on. Maria had taken Satoru away in order to give Saki the chance to be alone with Shun. This was her chance, then. She had to tell Shun how she felt. But then again, what could she tell him, when she wasn't even sure of her feelings? Silence filled the kitchen, and Saki began to feel increasingly uneasy. Usually, she was a talkative girl, but try as she might, she could think of nothing to say in this awkward situation.

"How have your assignments in class been lately?" Shun asked politely.

"O-oh," Saki stammered, "uh, things are going fine overall. I'm working on attention to detail and precision. Using my Cantus to sharpen pencils seems like a dumb exercise, but I'm told that shaving and manipulating wood products is very useful in several different careers."

"Yeah, wood working is a fairly rare talent." Shun sighed heavily. "My own assignments have been giving me hell, personally. Just because I'm a little more creative with my Cantus, everybody thinks I'm some kind of star who can do impossible tasks. Do you know how hard it is to make a single leaf change color? It involves about twenty different steps."

"I'm sorry you've been stressed."

After she said this, an idea came to Saki's mind. She took a deep breath and edged a little closer to where Shun stood leaning on the counter.

"The amount of work you're doing must cause a lot of strain, not to mention frustration. Is there… is there anything I can do to help?"

Shun apparently didn't get the hint. "Well," he considered, "having you and everybody come over today has helped a little. Huh…? …Saki?"

Surprise showed on the boy's fair face as he saw Saki stepping closer to him. The girl stood directly in front of Shun, and then stepped forward so that their faces were just inches apart. Saki's chestnut eyes gazed into Shun's thoughtful green ones. She tried desperately to think of what to say.

"Shun…" she murmured.

"S-Saki," replied Shun, blushing slightly.

"Um… can't I do something to make you feel better, Shun?"

The boy's body stiffened and the slightest suggestion of irritation crossed his features. "Saki, what are you getting at? Don't tell me you…"

"I want to help you, Shun. And I know what I'm doing. It's easy."

Saki raised her right hand and reached toward Shun's head. She gently stroked his thick, deep-umber hair. Then Saki stood on her tip-toes, leaned forward, and gave Shun's forehead a warm kiss. Though she was blushing and nervous, she continued. Her left hand touched the boy's stomach and began descending down his body, toward his groin.

"Stop it, Saki!" Shun shot out his hand and grabbed Saki's wrist, looking incensed. He forced her arm away. "I can't stand to see you do this. What is wrong with you, Saki?!"

Despite her best attempt to be strong, Saki felt tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm—I'm sorry, Shun. I was only trying to be kind. I meant no offense! I had no idea—" she stifled a sob—"I had no idea you disliked me this much. I didn't know touching you would offend—"

"That's NOT what I mean!" shouted Shun, his face burning with both anger and embarrassment. "Saki, I like you. I've always thought you were beautiful, intelligent, and resourceful. But I don't believe in the kind of casual 'love' where you try to run away from your pain." He calmed his voice. "I won't engage in something like that. If something between us ever happens, Saki, I want it to come naturally. I want us to want it mutually, to be really sure we want it, to be really in love. But Saki, we're not there. We're just kids. I don't want to be a little boy you play around with. I want… someday… to be a true man who you truly feel something for. So… Saki… please wait for that day."

Not knowing how she should feel, Saki wept. She backed away from Shun, refusing to lean on him. Disappointment, confusion, shame, and the desire for harmony flooded her mind. After a moment, her gsobs quieted and she wiped her eyes. A new emotion had struck. Pain. Rejection truly hurt, and when Saki was hurt, she lashed out. For the first time in her life, she was angry at Shun.

"You think I'll just wait around for you?" Saki demanded. "You think I'll waste my best years longing for the arbitrary day you decide to act like a man? What makes you think I even like you that much? This is all new for me. I went out on a limb to try to comfort you because I thought you were humble and gentle. But there you go slapping my arm away just because I dared to touch you! And on top of that, you have the nerve to say you like me and you want me to wait for you. That's egotistical bullshit!"

Saki stormed away toward the door to leave. She ran into Satoru as he was returning inside. He was panting like he had been running, and he must have left Maria behind, because she wasn't in sight. Saki tried to hide her tear-streaked face and slip by Satoru without saying anything. To her surprise, however, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and stared into her face with his purple eyes flaming.

"Saki, what are you trying to pull?" Satoru exclaimed. "Maria started laughing and saying that you and Shun were probably making out! Is that true, Saki?! How DARE you! You KNOW I've liked Shun forever!"

Tired of being grabbed and shaken, Saki slapped her friend across the face — hard.

"What the hell is going on?!" demanded Shun. "Satoru, I had no idea you felt—"

"I'm leaving!" screamed Saki. "And if either of you pigheaded males tries to stop me, I'll go right ahead and kick you in the crotch! Satoru, you don't have to worry. Shun and I are not remotely interested in each other. And Shun, I hope the stress of your schoolwork gives you an ulcer. Someone tell Maria I went home!"

With that, Saki flung open the door and then slammed it behind her as she stomped away outside. In the end, she would find Maria herself and they would go home together. Shun and Satoru were left alone.

For some time, they stood in awkward silence. The green-eyed boy was intuitive, and had actually wondered what Satoru thought of him before, but he refused to admit it. Normally, Shun was kind, polite, and reserved, while the purple-eyed boy talked up a storm. This time, Satoru stayed silent as a grave. When Shun spoke, his voice was cold, and he didn't make eye contact.

"So, suddenly you want the two of us to start dating? I respect you, Satoru, but don't be an asshole. I don't believe you really like me. Even if you did, you're bound to be cheating on someone. Wasn't something going on with you and Rei?"

"That was all a lie," Satoru said quickly and emphatically. "It was the biggest mistake I ever made. I only used Rei. I used him for comfort and pleasure, when the one I truly wanted was you."

Shun placed a hand on Satoru's shoulder and said grimly, "Yes, you used him. You treated an innocent boy like an object. And now you're sorry for it. Well then, you should understand where I'm coming from. I don't like this system of cheap love. I don't ever want to be guilty of using someone else. More than that, I would think myself a coward if I ran away from conflict using sensual pleasure. Picking someone to date right now would make me dependent on them. I refuse to betray my values. So it's nothing personal, Satoru. You are a solid friend and an impressive young man. But you're not my lover."

Satoru said nothing. There was a lump in his throat. His violet eyes were like those of a gambler who had bet all his assets and had suddenly, crushingly, lost them all. Slowly, he lifted his hand, and placed it overtop Shun's, which still rested on his shoulder. It was a final plea for sympathy. But Shun quickly pulled his hand away.

Satoru wordlessly staggered past Shun, through the kitchen, and out the front doors. Rain had started to fall. Once outside, Satoru began to run at full speed through the rain and down the forested hill. He felt that he must get away. He couldn't allow anyone to see the disgraceful tears running from his intense amethyst eyes.


	5. Goddess of War

***Akizuki Residence, White Sand Village, Kamisu 66***

As Saki and Maria used Cantus to propel their boats away from Pinewind, neither of them looked happy. Maria had an anxious look on her pale features because she felt like the drama with Shun had been her fault, and because was concerned about Saki. The usually lively brunette had been so upset with Shun and Satoru that she now looked like she would crumble at any second.

Maria felt almost duty-bound to cheer Saki up. She proposed that they visit her home in White Sand tomorrow to go swimming. It would be a good chance for Saki to relax and be away from boys while also not feeling alone. Saki agreed, but things didn't quite go as planned.

When the girls reached White Sand the next day, the drizzle was rapidly becoming heavy rain. The heart of the weather-front lingered over the forests of Pinewind, bringing in an intense summer-storm lasting several days. However, Fallen Tree to the East, White Sand to the West, and Hayring to the South were also affected by the weather. They received a few days of rain showers, but nothing worse. All the same, the girls really had no desire to swim in the downpour.

"We'll find something to do," said Maria, as the two girls stepped inside. "My mother has a phonograph. We could sit and listen to some music scores."

Saki grabbed a fluffy towel and began drying Maria's hair and face for her. "Music is great and all," she said, "but, well, you know how I am. I'd like to do something more… lively? An engaging activity."

Maria, in turn, began drying Saki's shorter brown hair with the towel. She stayed silent for a moment, trying to think of ideas. When they were both dry, they headed down the hallway toward Maria's room.

"I know!" exclaimed Saki, always one to come up with ideas. "You mentioned yesterday that your family bought a bunch of new clothes from one of the well-to-do merchants. Have you tried them all on, yet?"

"I haven't, but that's a great idea. You can try them on too, and if there's one you really like, it's yours."

Trying on clothes together and comparing fashion styles was something the girls had enjoyed doing together since their third year at Harmony Elementary. Saki's memories of childhood were largely blank, but some of her earliest, clearest memories were clothes-shopping trips with the Akizuki family. The brunette girl found shopping boring until she discovered the fun of trying on different outfits. She enjoyed having the freedom to choose one or two she personally liked.

The girls entered Maria's bedroom, shut the door, and undressed. Maria quietly admired Saki's body but tried not to make it look obvious. She noticed Saki's breasts were starting to develop faster than hers. Rather than feeling jealous, Maria felt grateful that the person she loved was becoming so attractively womanlike. Both girls had petite bone and body structure, but Saki was slightly taller and thinner. She was well-built for running, and though her hips, ass, and legs were not as fleshed out as Maria's, she made up for that with her chest and with the graceful, feminine way she carried herself.

The adolescents tried on several outfits each, mostly summer clothes. Clothing in Kamisu 66 generally had multiple layers, and detachable pieces (sleeves could often be removed since they were only fixed to the shoulder with string or button-clasp). Outerwear such as dresses, shawls, coats, hooded jackets, kimonos, and robes usually had long sleeves and a loose, flowy design. Under-layers, such as slips, sleeveless tops, tight-fitted long-sleeved shirts, and cloth wraps, featured a lot of style variety. Clothing color was another unique aspect of this culture.

Kamisu 66 boasted an impressive palette of synthetic dyes, but tradition demanded dying with mostly neutral shades or muted versions of the colors. It was both rare and improper to wear a rich, dark, bold color, except, occasionally, for black. Some relief could be found from the subdued colors, however. Some outfits were dyed in pale pastel shades of green, blue, and purple. In addition, both men and women often wore a belt, ribbon, wrap, or undershirt with a slightly bolder color, such as navy, burgundy, or deep grey-green.

Speaking of men and women, there were a few interesting aspects of their clothing traditions. Broadly speaking, men preferred robes and women preferred dresses, but in most cases, clothing was considered unisex or gender neutral. That's why Maria was keeping an eye out for something the boys might like.

Saki thought that everything looked great on Maria, but the second outfit she tried on was particularly striking. The outer layer was a long, light jacket the color of sand, decorated with brown and gold suede string and one brick-red ribbon tied around each sleeve. The real beauty, however, became evident when this autumn outer-layer was removed. Underneath was a muted-orange, sleeveless dress which didn't quite reach Maria's knees, and which fitted her curves perfectly. A thin black band was tied around the torso just below the chest, drawing attention to Maria's newly developing breasts. The red and gold based tones of the outfit matched well with her long, thick, red hair.

"This is the first dress I've tried on that's not frilly or decorated cutesy bows," Maria stated. "I think it looks more… you know… womanly. What do you think, Saki?"

Saki was wearing a pair of tightly fitted, blue-grey capris under a white kimono embroidered with navy flowers and tied off by a wide obi of muted purple. She was thinking the outfit was comfortable, and not too shabby, when she heard Maria's question. She turned and looked at the redhead.

"Maria," she murmured in awe, "you look like a queen, or a goddess. Were you serious about that Church of Megumi Maria?"

"Not at all," laughed Maria, walking over and taking both of Saki's hands affectionately. "Sure, I love a little praise, and sometimes I think it's my job to fix things for people, but I would never want to be thought of as a goddess."

"Why not?" asked Saki, beginning to ruffle through the bag of clothes again. "You're already a goddess to me. Remember, I swore to become your first parishioner."

Temporarily distracting from the topic, Maria began laying out the pieces of a gender neutral outfit. "I think this one would be good for Mamoru," she said. "It's a tawny-brown tunic with a bronze cloth belt. Nice big pockets, which guys tend to like. It's sleeveless, and he could wear it by itself to go swimming in. And to dress it up, you just wear that cloud-grey kimono over it, and tie it off with that same bronze belt. It would really bring out Mamoru's gold eyes, wouldn't it?"

"It looks like it would suit him," Saki nodded. "I'll see if I can find something for that asshole Shun. I've got to make up with him—as a friend—eventually.

"Well, anyway." Maria started undressing again. "To answer your question… being a goddess would mean I could never find love. In all of mythology, humans are different beings—and lower beings—than deities. There's a level of deep connection that doesn't exist between the human and the divine. It can never exist, so long as one is considered superior to the other."

It was rare to hear the practical Maria speak so abstractly. "You must have really put some thought into that," Saki observed. "As long as we're talking about mythology, though…. You know, there are many myths where a human falls in love with a god, or vice versa. Sometimes it's said they even have children. People who are in love don't think in terms of who is superior. They just love each other. So, if they were in love, a goddess could reach a deep level of intimacy with a human."

As she spoke, Saki was picking out an outfit for Shun. She knew it was an old style no longer in fashion, but she couldn't help thinking it would look good on that steadfast boy. The under-layer consisted of long, white, tight-fitted pants, and a sleeveless pale-grey undershirt with a low-cut V-neck. The main outer layer was a white men's kimono with extremely wide, flowy sleeves embroidered with silver patterns. A plum-colored obi-belt completed the set. The white symbolized the purity of Shun's heart, the old-fashioned style would make him look renowned, the white pants signified his grace and courtesy, and the obi's color was as dark and rich as the boy's mind. Little did Saki know… this outfit she would give Shun would end up being the one he wore along with his white mask, when he became a Karma Demon.

"You say that a god and a human could have a close bond after all," said Maria, going back to the topic at hand. "Because, in the myths, humans and deities fall in love. In that case, Saki…"

Maria turned and faced her childhood friend, completely naked, completely shameless, and completely perfect. Her hair was like a fountain of rich, red wine. Her soft, rosy lips were curved into a weak smile, a smile made more fragile still by the look of restrained desperation in her sapphire eyes.

"In that case, Saki… you had better think hard about whether or not you truly think of me like a goddess. Because I don't any worshippers, unless they are the kind who fall hopelessly in love with me and my incongruent humanity." She fought back tears. "And I don't want any worshippers at all… except you."

At first, the only thing Saki could feel was shock. Then disbelief—surely she was misunderstanding Maria, or the redhead was joking. There was no way Maria would want a girl like Saki as her lover—not when she was beautiful enough to have her pick of the handsomest boys in Kamisu 66. But despite her disbelief, she started imagining the possibility that Maria really did love her, that she had patiently loved her for years. Somehow the pieces fit together… but could Saki return the love? Her immediate feeling was that, romance or no romance, she never wanted to be parted from Maria's side. That didn't answer the question of whether she was "in love" or not, though. The emotions were so overwhelming, Saki felt the beginnings of tears forming in her chestnut eyes. She walked over and put her arms around Maria.

"My dear," Saki whispered, "I think I probably care about you more than I care for anyone else in this world. But this is all so sudden for me, Maria. I don't know if I should anyone to couple with right now. It might be better for me to wait. Still, I'm not giving an answer right now. Maria, could you please give me a few days to think things over?"

A tear of disappointment trickled down Maria's cheek, but she nodded in agreement. She wrapped her arms around Saki and rested her face against her friend's neck and mocha-colored hair. Saki, in turn, stroked the long locks of Maria's deep-terracotta hair. They stood embracing for several long minutes.

***Itou Residence, White Sand Village, Kamisu 66***

Mamoru normally didn't mind the rain, but there was one definite downside to it. Painting outside in the sun was no longer an option. So Mamoru settled down to his art indoors. He sat on a stool next to his tripod canvas, using his Cantus to create shapes and distribute colors. His paintings were becoming increasingly complex and high-quality.

The curly-haired boy was so intent on improving his work that he barely noticed the absence of his father, who had just started a part time job at one of the artificial fisheries. Traditionally, Mrs. Itou had been the breadwinner, working on the Harmony Elementary schoolboard, while Mr. Itou played the part of stay-at-home dad. Now that his son was old enough not to need much supervision, the family man had decided to work at last. Thus, Mamoru worked in solitude for most of the day.

"It's unlocked," called Mamoru when he heard someone knock on the door. "Come in."

Satoru came in completely drenched. His hazelnut hair would have been a mess even if it had been dry. He was wearing nothing but short, baggy shorts and a sleeveless merlot vest. This was the equivalent of showing up at someone else's house in underwear—and almost inappropriately bold underwear, at that. The only thing he had with him was a large, black, and waterproof bag. Mamoru stood up to great his fellow group member, but found himself at a loss for words.

"Um," he ventured at last, "what's up? You must have something important in that bag, huh?"

In response, Satoru silently sank to his knees and began untying the fastenings on the black bag. His face looked worn and grim, as if he were suffering a wound, but felt too angry and embarrassed to show it to anyone. A rebellious gleam shone in his sage-flower eyes. Mamoru felt concerned, but stayed silent, not wanting to offend his temperamental classmate. When he saw what Satoru pulled out of the bag, however, he gasped and started talking excitedly.

"That's—I don't believe it—that's an Ekaki Zukashi original acrylic painting! Why do you own this? Never mind—do you realize what this is?! Sensei Zukashi lived in Kamisu 66 when the villages were still being settled, a full century ago! He's famous for his portraits of creepy monsters. His best work is in the Library, and it's known as 'The Fiend.' But the original title was 'Shonen Kyoshi.' Isn't that strange? Anyway, he supposedly made seven monster paintings he called Kyoshi, and that picture—it's—it's one of them! It has to be at least seventy years old—"

"Do you want it?" Satoru interrupted in a flat voice.

Mamoru tried to contain himself, but he was almost trembling with excitement. "Yes, I want it! I don't know if I have the money for something so rare… but I could make a down-payment…"

"You can have it," Satoru said gruffly, "if you agree to make a couple of paintings for me. I don't know a damn thing Sensei Zuka-what's-it, or about a Kyoshi shonen—all I know is, my mom collects rare paintings, and she gave me this one. She thought the monster was too creepy to hang in the house. So I'm trading it. Just make sure you create me a painting that represents true magnificence."

"Of—of course!" stammered Mamoru. "I'll paint anything you want! Do you have an idea of what you want the first one to be?"

Satoru narrowed his eyes sternly and said, "Shun Aonuma. I want a lifelike portrait of Shun. You're not allowed to tell him about this—or anyone else, for that matter. If you do tell, I'll beat the shit out of you. I want you to start work today. I want the painting done within three days."

"Three…days?" Mamoru's face betrayed his uncertainty and reluctance. "I don't know if…"

"Do you want the painting or not?" Satoru snapped. "Didn't you say it was valuable?"

Mamoru sighed in defeat. "Alright, Satoru. I don't know why you would want a portrait of Shun, but I'll stay quiet, and get to work right away."


	6. Satoru's Surrender

**Summary: Satoru suffers rage and depression after Shun's initial rejection. The other Group One members have a frightening lecture at school that urges them to restore their friendships. Satoru, however, refuses any contact.**

***Asahina Residence, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

Satoru stopped going to school after Shun rejected him. He vowed never to go again. He didn't want to have to face Shun. Thinking of that gentle boy filled Satoru with so much love, shame, and hurt that it felt like his innards were writhing. Hurt, because he had been rejected, and things would never be the same. Shame, because he had admitted his vulnerability by expressing his love, and because he knew he should be more mature than this. And love… well, because that was the strongest emotion Satoru's mind associated with the image of Shun.

The first day he skipped school, Satoru spent most of it hiding in the basement cellar and thinking these thoughts of Shun. He didn't eat all day. When his mother called him to dinner, Satoru yelled at her in a terrible voice. (His voice was beginning to change, and he was surprised when it suddenly became so deep and ferocious.) Rather than trying to talk with the boy again, Mrs. Asahina simply exited the house. She left a note explaining that she would be visiting her aunt in Fallen Tree for a few days.

Satoru felt frustrated that his mother would leave for a trip during a time when the family was struggling. That frustration triggered the other anger that raged in Satoru's mind: resentment of Shun for rejecting him, fury with Mr. Ashahina for leaving him, and abhorrence at himself. He had broken so many rules. He had used Rei. He had threatened his mother. He had vague, dreamlike "memories" of slaughtering thousands of monster rats. He hated himself. Satoru could feel the pounding of his heart, the blood rushing to his head.

"Well, it's not like anyone lives too close to us," he said. Then he let out a wrathful roar of "KUSO!"

The boy with tawny hair stomped around the dining room, yelling curses and slang, using his Cantus to roughly turn over all the furniture. He waved his hand and brought his mother's paintings down to the floor. He could hear the glass in the frames shatter. He walked back through the kitchen, shattering the dishes in the sink, the dishes on the shelf, and the dinner dishes on the table. Satoru continued cursing and breaking things for about five full minutes before he was able to regain his senses. That outburst had been building up for a long time. But even such an extreme expression of hurt and rage was not enough to bring Satoru out of his darkness. He retreated down to the cellar, where he would spend most of the night moping.

The next day, Satoru didn't bathe, or make any food, or even change clothes. He didn't care anymore about those things. During severe depression, this inability to care is common. He did decide, though, that he wanted something to do besides goof around with Cantus. Satoru's main activities besides school and hanging out with Group One were making models of buildings and playing sports. That day, however, neither hobby sounded at all appealing. Satoru started to punch the stone walls, skinning his knuckles, growling like some kind of monster.

"Imaimashii!" he shouted. "I need some goddamn relief!"

Satoru was the type of person who considers the most logical solution to a problem, but sometimes ends up deciding on the solution that's fastest. In his case, the problem was that his heart was broken, and the most logical solution would be to contact one of those damn Life Counsel workers in town. The fastest solution, however, happened to be alcohol.

The cellar contained several barrels of Mr. Asahina's ale (which he no doubt intended to pick up later). There were also a number of old bottles of wine that Mrs. Asahina had stored away for celebrations. Satoru found a flower vase (all the dishes were broken), washed it out, and filled it up with ale. He found he could get the whole vase worth's amount of alcohol into his stomach with just three long gulps. That day, Satoru became highly intoxicated—or, in his own words,

"I'm going to get shitfaced."

***Sage Academy, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

When school met on Saturday, Satoru was absent for the third morning in a row. Everybody else took their seats, as awkward as this felt for them. With Satoru gone, the line started with Saki. To her left sat Maria, and to Maria's left, Shun took his seat. Mamoru sat on the end, to the left of Shun. A guest teacher, Sensei Akera, began giving a lecture about the strange diseases that had somehow come into being during the last thousand years. None of the members of Group One could fully focus on the lesson. Each was thinking of his or her problems.

"Communicable Diseases are mostly caused by microorganisms," Akera began in a deep, professional, but cordial voice. "Billions of tiny organisms coexist with us, using our bodies as habitats. Usually, they cause no harm. In fact, sometimes microorganisms help humans. Other times, though, diseases are triggered by certain kinds of these microscopic creatures. Who can give me an example of a microorganism? Hmm… You there, Group One. Mr. Mamoru Itou."

Mamoru was lost in thought, wondering about Maria. Had she chosen a lover? Would she really pick Saki? The artistic boy bitterly hoped that Saki was "straight." He envied her for sitting right next to Maria. But being unkind was not in Mamoru's nature, so he said nothing, and tried to keep a neutral face. When he heard his name called, he took several seconds to respond.

"B-bacteria," he said at last. "Bacteria are microorganisms."

"Correct," Akera nodded. "Bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses are the main players in traditional, old-world disease. There are also neurological diseases caused by tiny proteins called prions. Diseases can be spread from human to human, human to creature, and vice versa. Other infectious illnesses can be caught by consuming food or beverage contaminated with the microorganism. Who can tell me a solid, effective measure toward preventing spread of disease? Group Three. Very good, Dazai-san; the answer is thorough hand-washing. Vaccines can also prevent some infectious diseases. If you contract a disease, home remedies may help. However, it's safest to have a Doctor examine you. Now, class. Besides these typical infective diseases, what else can cause symptoms of acute illness? Group One, Mr. Aonuma."

Shun had also been lost in his own thoughts. He was used to keeping his cool and behaving courteously, but those skills seemed to be failing him lately. He felt frustrated with himself for turning down a lovely girl and a fascinating boy. Though he felt considerably attached to Saki and Satoru, Shun rejected them just because of his insecurities. He claimed to act this way because of personal values—because he wanted to wait till he was eighteen, or because his parents had a different kind of love—but in reality, the boy was simply afraid. He was terrified of the idea of relying on other people. He preferred it when people relied on him. That's what Sensei Akera was doing: relying on "the smartest student" to give the desired answer. People relied on him too much, but to Shun, pressure was preferable to vulnerability.

"Illness can also be caused by toxins," Shun said in a rather flat, bored tone. "For example, certain chemical elements, like heavy metal, are toxic to humans. For another example, the carcinogens found in tobacco and some other plants eventually become toxic to our cells and cause cancer or organ failure. But what I think you're getting at, Sensei, are disease factors other than microorganisms and toxins. You're probably talking about Shinkadoku."

"Excellent," Akera answered warmly; "it looks like one of us already knows the material for today. Class, let me introduce you to a concept that affects all our lives and is now finally being researched. The concept is that tiny creatures exist which cause diseases but are from an entirely different order of lifeform than bacteria, viruses, and the like. Scientists from the distant land of Kamisu 60 have proposed a name for these creatures which Kamisu 66 has adopted: Shinkadoku." The teacher's rich voice became grave for a moment. "I am about to reveal information that may come as a shock to you and may cause emotional or mental discomfort. Rest assured that the Education Committee has approved my words; in fact, they strongly encouraged me to share. If anyone finds themselves distressed by what you hear, you may excuse yourself. A member of the town's Life Counselors is in the hall, ready to help."

Maria had not been listening up to that point. Distracted, she had trouble keeping her eyes off Saki. The two girls had hardly spoken since Maria's confession. It had already been a few days; wouldn't Saki make up her mind soon? And when, Maria wondered, would Mamoru give up on her? Having him stare was getting annoying. Maria felt that Shun must be confusing Saki's decision. And as for Satoru, he was probably just being a baby. These were the aggravated thoughts crossing Maria's mind, until she heard Sensei Akera start talking about Shinkadoku. She raised her hand.

"Sensei Akera," she said. "Isn't Shinkadoku just the name for diseases we don't understand yet? That's what the Education Committee told my family after… after, well, a bunch of my relatives suddenly got ill and died on a merchant trip."

"That was what the Education Committee told everyone at the time to prevent fear," replied Akera. "The truth is that we have some understanding of Shinkadoku as atypical parasites. The Shinkadoku vary greatly in size, structure, color, and chemical composition. The one thing that ties them together is their ability to spontaneously evolve into a form that will cause a host to become diseased. Shinkadoku can mimic any microorganism and can transform into compounds and chemicals that theoretically shouldn't exist. They can float through the air, invisible, or move in flocks through the water.

"You're saying that Shinkadoku can become anything?" asked a boy from Group Four in a shaky voice. "And not only that, but they also want to kill their hosts. That's—that's just not natural. They must be demons, right, Sensei? They can't be physical lifeforms!"

Akera folded his arms and ran a hand through his long, graying hair. "Technically," he told the student, "we have not proven that these beings are biologically alive. However, most evidence suggests that they are. The Shinkadoku have life cycle 'directives' encoded by a genome of proteins that appeared in the last thousand years. The organisms seem to have a will; among their alien cells they possess many microscopic pathways resembling neural networks. Despite this evidence that the Shinkadoku are living creatures, their method of reproduction is unknown, and they turn into simple elements like water or carbon when they die. In some cases, they fail to change into a form that will cause a host to become diseased. They die quickly in these cases. Unfortunately, however, Shinkadoku only fail to morph correctly 20% of the time. Otherwise, the host becomes seriously ill and usually dies within two or three days."

If the children had known the truth about Cantus leakage, they would have understood Shinkadoku perfectly. Power from Canti is constantly leaking from human minds and causing major changes and mutations to the outside world. The new flora and fauna of the past thousand years "evolved" because of the escaping creative energy of humans.

The majority of the world was unstable and overrun with bizarre creatures and drastic changes to the biosphere. The only safe places were those like Kamisu 66, which were protected by a Spiritual Barrier and a Committee of authority to control population and manipulate citizen memory. As for Shinkadoku specifically, they are the result of a person with Cantus subconsciously or consciously wishing for someone to fall ill and die. Every time concentrated thoughts of this nature seep into the outside world, they take the form of microorganisms that exist purely to cause disease. At first, Kamisu 66 feared the Shinkadoku, but recently they had started selectively using some of them… in order to eliminate villagers who defied the rules. Of course, only the members of the Committees knew about this practice.

Shun and Saki had some vague idea about how Cantus Leakage might work, but the rest of the students understood none of this. They were all disturbed and afraid, and two students had left the classroom. They could only think the Shinkadoku were some kind of demons. This impression grew stronger as Sensei Akera called to each of the students, asking them to share their stories of experience with Shinkadoku.

It turned out that nearly every student had lost a friend or relative to a sudden fatal disease which the Education Committee called Shinkadoku. Five of Maria's relatives, the stars of the Akizuki Family Merchants, had been forced to spend a week on the sea beyond White Sand, outside of the Holy Barrier. They exhibited symptoms like pneumonia that progressed rapidly. The five of them died of lung failure a day after returning to White Sand. Shun's older sister died of a sudden, high fever a few days after picking some rare herbs outside the northern Barrier. Three of Saki's classmates at Harmony Elementary suddenly died after excessive vomiting and dehydration. It was later revealed that they had snuck outside the Barrier on more than one occasion.

These horror stories continued until Sensei Akera released the class. He made sure to remind the class that the only way to prevent sudden death by Shinkadoku was to always stay inside the Spiritual Barrier. Many students were crying, feeling nauseous, or otherwise showing distress. Group One looked the least upset because, though their memories had been altered, they knew they had heard much scarier things during last year's canoe trip. Vaguely, they did remember some of it. At the very least, they remembered that they were each lucky to be alive.

All day, Saki had felt aggravated at the other members of Group One. Maria couldn't help being anxious for Saki's decision about whether to choose her, but Saki felt pressured by her lately. Then there were the others. It was exasperating to see Shun so lonely, and to be unable to help him because of his stupid pride. Mamoru was doing his best to act civil, but Saki could tell he was annoyed with her. And Satoru, she thought, must be immaturely trying to win pity by skipping school. However, Saki's thoughts changed as she listened to the lecture and walked outside with the rest of the class.

In light of the fact that her life could be so suddenly robbed by invisible creatures, she wanted to resolve her conflicts with the others. None of their petty disagreements mattered when considering that any of them could die at any moment. Saki guessed that everybody else might be thinking similarly. Nobody was brave enough to start talking, though. So, once again playing the leader, Saki stopped walking and spoke.

"Maria, Shun, and Mamoru," she said with a deep breath. "We can't keep up this stupid tension forever. We have strong friendships, and those need to be saved. We need to make up with each other. I know you're all irritated at each other, because I feel that way too. But after today's lesson, it should be abundantly clear that we're all lucky to be alive."

"I agree," said Shun after a silence. "I'm not going to admit I did anything wrong, but I'm also not going to judge any of you for your feelings or actions. Honestly… you all are what keep me going."

Maria chuckled and gave Saki one of her signature comforting hugs. "I think it's a wonderful idea," she said. "We all need to relax a little. There's no school tomorrow. Let's all go to the beach by my house in White Sand. We'll meet up in the morning. Mamoru, will you come too?"

"If I won't be any trouble," the curly-haired boy replied with a small smile. "The beach sounds great."

Shun gave an awkward cough. "Ahem. Um, what about Satoru?"

Saki elbowed the boy gently. "It's ok, Shun. We won't ask you to go invite him. You can make up with him on your own time. I'll go and invite Satoru after the family dinner tonight."

"Oh, let me go," Mamoru offered. "I just remembered. I have something I'm supposed to give to Satoru. I'll take it over to his place and let him know about tomorrow. Thanks, everyone."

***Asahina Residence Continued, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

When he woke up on the third day, Satoru had a terrible hangover. He had thrown up several times the previous night and he still felt nauseous, groggy, and sore. After the boy was able to keep down a glass or two of water, he decided there was no choice but to go into town and get some food and supplies.

Hoping to avoid being seen by any kids his age, Satoru went out to the Hayring Market during school hours. He covered his open merlot vest with a sepia pull-over robe with large pockets for storing groceries. Paying with his mother's money he had found in her dresser, Satoru purchased enough supplies to last him for several days. He might have lingered longer in the sunlight, but people might become suspicious. A few of the Market customers and stall operators definitely knew who he was, even with the cloak disguise. So in the end, the boy headed back home quickly.

That night, just before the Going Home song started playing, Mamoru stopped by Satoru's house. He let himself in and walked down to the cellar, excited to give Satoru his most realistic portrait yet. When the curly-haired boy set his golden eyes on Satoru, however, he fell speechless.

Satoru was in miserable shape. He was sitting on a blanket, leaning his back against the cold stone wall, looking dull and half-awake as he sipped directly from one of his mother's wine bottles. The remains of dinner lay on a plate one side, but they didn't look or smell quite right, because Satoru couldn't cook worth a damn. The building models usually decorating the display shelves had been ripped apart, and the boy's architectural sketches had all been burned. While Mamoru remained quiet in astonishment, Satoru slowly recognized him. He stumbled to his feet and took the wrapped painting out of the hands of the artist.

"Thanks," Satoru said tersely. "You can leave now."

"But…" Mamoru stammered. "Aren't you even going to look at it? I'd love to tell you some about how I made the painting. Besides, you seem down. Maybe I could cook up some real di—"

"Get out," snapped Satoru.

"Alright then." Mamoru put his hands up in surrender. "Look, I'm leaving. But I'm supposed to invite you. All of Group One is getting together to go swimming tomorrow morning. You've been absent for three days, so we're all worried. We hope you come with us and—"

"I'M NOT GOING!" Satoru shouted irately.

"Um—I'm sorry," Mamoru said, and then he fled like a frightened rabbit.

When he was sure he was alone, Satoru placed the painting on a tripod belonging to his mother. He pulled away the black cloth wrapping, and the unveiled painting showed the exact likeness of Shun Aonuma. Mamoru must have used a rare photograph as his visualization; otherwise that level of realism would have proven impossible. In the image, Shun was sitting on a grassy knoll overlooking some rice fields; he was dressed in a grey-and white men's kimono with the chest open. Mamoru had perfectly captured the kind, thoughtful, but somewhat distant expression in the boy's emerald eyes. Satoru ran his hand over the image of Shun's face, and his own face became twisted with longing and despair.

"Shun," he said in a hoarse, trembling voice. "Shun. Shun, if only you were here. Shun, I might be able to understand it if you were going to choose someone else. But how can you choose no one, when you are so loved?" The boy with amethyst eyes sank to his knees, clutching the edges of the portrait, and resting his head against its center. "Shun, I can't stop thinking about you. I shouldn't have told you I wanted to date. You must hate me now. You must think I'm a sneaky, horny bastard."

Satoru blinked away a tear and stood up straight. "Ha!" he laughed. "Then again, Shun, you would be right to think that. I am a dirty bastard. Shun, did you know, I'm starting to get back some of the memories from summer camp? Did you know, I massacred thousands of Bakenezumi? Did you know, I enjoyed it? Saki doesn't look at me the same way. I like destroying and I like killing. I'm a monster."

Grabbing the bottle of strong wine, Satoru took another few gulps. Then he closed the shade of the one cellar window near the ceiling. Breathing heavily, the boy whipped off his vest and threw it to the floor. He shed his shorts too. Satoru's eyes stared keenly at the portrait of the beautiful boy, while his right hand reached down to his groin.

"A monster has its needs," Satoru grunted.

He pleasured himself until he had orgasmed three times, and then his shaft grew sore and his young body could give no more. Despite this pleasure, though, Satoru didn't feel much better for long. As the night went on, the picture of Shun seemed to be staring at him judgmentally. The wine bottle was finished, but it hadn't put Satoru to sleep. He paced back and forth, growing desperate. Finally, in a blaze of drunken fury, he used his Cantus and set the portrait on fire.

"That's right, Shun," Satoru snarled; "you can just burn. Everything can just burn. That's a great idea, in fact. Tonight, Shun, I'm going out. I'm going to start a new hobby. I'm just 'on fire' to get started. Heh."


	7. White Sand Truce

***Akizuki Property, White Sand Village, Kamisu 66***

The next morning, the kids met up at Maria's house to head down to the beach. They each carried a bag full of fresh towels, sun protection lotion from the Education Committee, water, and other supplies fit for a day at the lakeside. Satoru had not yet arrived, but the others greeted each other cheerfully.

General swimming attire for men consisted of short, loose shorts and a sleeveless shirt. The shirt could be shed on particularly hot days or cast aside by self-assured young men. Women generally wore skin-tight short-shorts under a comfortable sleeveless slip. Alternatively, confident women could wear trunks like the boys', go shirtless, and cover and tie back their breasts with a kind of brown-cloth, tie-on bra. The kids hugged and briefly admired each other.

Both boys looked healthy and energetic. Shun wore pine-green shorts and sleeveless grey top with a low, v-cut neckline. His broad shoulders and sharp, distinctive facial features looked surprisingly masculine for a boy who was growing out his hair and didn't usually go out of his way to look "manly." Mamoru, wearing sandy-gold trunks and a loose white shirt, still looked much more like a boy than a young man. Perhaps he was not handsome, but nobody could say Mamoru wasn't adorable. His large golden eyes were so innocent, his face so soft and with such a curious expression, and his hair piled on his head in faun-colored curls.

The girls looked lovely as well. Maria wore a faded-pastel-green slip that showed off the changing shape of her body. She wore her long, red hair in a braid, keeping a few strands loose around her face. Saki's chest was held up in an umber cloth that tied behind her back. Her short trunks were dark brown decorated with pale-pink symbols. Her smooth, slender midriff looked decently strong and fit, as did her long, bare, graceful arms. Her expressive features and chestnut eyes, brought out by the brown cloth, looked wise enough to belong to someone several years older than Saki.

"You look gorgeous, Maria," Saki said with a smile, hugging her best friend.

"And you're as charming as ever," Maria laughed, embracing the brunette. "Come on. Let's all bring our bags down to the shore."

Shun did not respond right away, as the other three started collecting their bags and leaving their cover-up robes on Maria's house's deck. Shun could not stop admiring Saki. He wanted to say something to compliment her, but something that wouldn't sound misleading either. Try as he might to think,, however, the boy could come up with no clever compliment, no polite praise.

"S-Saki," Shun ventured at last. "You, uh… you're truly growing up."

As soon as he said it, Shun felt his mind recoil in embarrassment and revulsion. What kind of nonsense had he said? All he wanted to do was let Saki know she looked much more mature than some little girl. The way he tried to say it, though, came out all wrong.

"Uh, what the hell does that mean?" Saki asked him with a laugh.

Maria's cerulean eyes twinkled. She smiled mischievously and said, "It means, my dear Saki, that Shun is shamelessly admiring your chest."

"That's not what I meant!" Shun defended himself, while Maria laughed and Saki blushed, suddenly conscious of her young but feminine traits.

Mamoru spoke up for once. "But Shun, don't you think Maria is more grown up than Saki?" he considered. "Saki might be growing up faster, but she's… well… she can hang out with the guys. Maria's more like…uh… a real woman."

"Mamoru, do you have any idea how that sounds?" Maria addressed the boy drily. "You, talking about 'real women'? We're all just teenagers anyway. What I think what you meant to say is that Saki is tomboyish while I am feminine."

"I am _not_ a tomboy," Saki retorted indignantly. "I like clothes and flowers and crap. I like kids. Just because I stay active and have a straightforward personality doesn't mean I'm like a boy!"

"I intended to correct Mamoru," Maria said, placing her hands on Saki's shoulders to calm her down. "You see, boys, it's a misconception that I'm the more feminine one. I'm picky. I can be condescending. I can only put up with certain people for too long. I don't like having to speak up, and I prefer to run away from conflict. All that to say, I'm not soft-spoken or sweet-natured—I'm unsociable and weak-hearted. On the other hand, Saki will become a lovely, sensitive, charismatic, and talented woman."

"Hey—don't—don't stand there and praise me." Saki was blushing and trying to distract from her embarrassment by tying back her hair.

"Then let me," said Shun, finally finding his words. "Saki is strong and independent. Her passion lets her inspire and lead others. The real woman is the one who can release her spirit into helping the village. Saki has the traits to serve Kamisu 66 by leading many people, or by consoling and counseling a few. She is amiable, understanding, creative, brave, and people-oriented. She has a lot of different talents for one person, too."

"Th-thanks," Saki said, still blushing. "Anyway… come on. To the beach."

A short walk away, down a path and over a couple low hills, the golden-white sand began, stretching forward several meters to the waterline. A few gardens of sand-tolerant vegetation and shore flowers had been planted along the crest of the hill just out of reach of the usual water levels. The waters of the semi-marine lake looked deep blue that morning, glistening with white sparkles from the sun. As they chatted, the kids picked up their bags and started walking to the lakeside.

"Don't pick that up," Maria said as Mamoru bent down to lift her bag. "I don't need a boy's help."

Obediently, Mamoru left Maria's things alone and started walking, following the long-legged Shun down the path. Maria walked gracefully behind them. To her side, Saki walked, carrying her bag as well as Maria's. Whenever the brunette spent time with Maria, she didn't want the redhead to have to worry about a thing. She wanted to watch her skip along like a divine sprite, free of burdens.

"Hey Saki," Mamoru said over his shoulder, "did you not just hear Mari say she doesn't need help?"

"She said nothing about help from a girl," answered Saki smugly. "Besides, I always carry Maria's bags when we go shopping. I'm her chaperone when we go out, because we never know when a poser like you, Mamoru, is going to hit on my lady." She skipped ahead and ruffled Mamoru's curly hair to let him know she was joking.

"Yeah Mamoru," Shun added without looking back, "didn't you know? Saki has become Maria's loyal, chivalrous knight." He reached the sand first and set his bag next to a protruding stone. "By the way," he added, struck by a sudden loneliness. "Where is Satoru?"

Mamoru paused in the act of digging out his sketchbook to draw the scene. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said in his quick, somewhat nervous voice. "I meant to tell you all. Satoru said he didn't want to join us." He lowered his golden eyes to avoid betraying his suspicions all at once.

"To tell you the truth," the boy managed at last, "I'm afraid Satoru's becoming dangerous. When I saw him yesterday, he had torn up everything in his room. He's always in a horrible mood. And the rumors say he screams curses for all Hayring to hear."

"That's ridiculous!" Saki objected, walking down to the edge of the water. "Satoru is having a hard time right now, that's all. If he was the violent type, he would be supervised by the Education Committee. So anyway, he's not dangerous."

"But he was chugging wine when I saw him," Mamoru said worriedly. "The Ethics Committee is really careful about rules for alcohol. And the Education Committee said that children should never drink. They say it can make some people turn aggressive."

Eager for relief of the heat, Shun had gone ahead and waded into the cool waters of the lake with Maria. He hadn't looked particularly interested in what Mamoru had been saying. But after the mention of alcohol, his handsome body stiffened. He turned his head, with its long, dripping wet black hair, to face Mamoru and Saki.

"I'm going to go see Satoru," stated Shun.

"What?" said Maria in astonishment. "Do you really believe Satoru would ever try to hurt someone?"

"No." Shun's voice was calmly resolute as he left the water and returned to his bag. "If Satoru has become dangerous, then he's only a danger to himself. Somebody needs to help him snap out of it before the Education Committee marks him. Before they send—" He broke off.

Saki questioned, "What do you mean? Does the Education Committee have some way of marking dangerous people? I'm asking because it sounds familiar. And what did you mean by 'send'? What would they send out after Satoru?"

"Uh—never mind about that." Shun had no intention of scaring everybody by reminding them of the threat of the Impure Cats. "It's just a theory of mine," he waved it off. "Anyway, I'm going. It's time I resolved things with that kid. I'll drag Satoru back here with me if it kills me."

With both Satoru and Shun absent. Mamoru asked if they should postpone swimming. Saki said that they could always swim another day with Satoru, so they might as well enjoy their own time today. Maria and Saki spent most of the morning racing, splashing, diving, and wrestling in the water. Meanwhile, Mamoru sat on the beach and sketched the shoreline, the girls, and the seabirds. He joined the girls in the water for a bit, playing a game like Marco Polo until the three of them decided to rest. Saki found it relaxing to lay on the moist sand on her back and let the water just barely cover her feet and ankles. Maria joined her, lying to the brunette's left. The two girls held hands. Mamoru hesitantly lay to the left of Maria, and found himself surprised and honored when the redhead gave his hand a little squeeze, too.

"Hey Mamoru," said Maria pensively. "What to think it means to be a devoted follower? For example, how can you tell how well a person honors their Goddess?"

Saki sat up huffily. "Maria! Don't tell Mamoru about our nonsense!"

"I won't tell him a thing," Maria promised. "I just want to see if he has the heart of a worshiper."

Mamoru felt like he was missing an inside joke, but he said, "I'll play along. I'm not good at theorizing about concepts, though. I need to see a practical point in things. So let's pretend Maria is my Goddess, and we're talking about my level of devotion to her."

"He catches onto things really quickly," Maria thought. Aloud, she said, "My family believes in the Holy Buddha like everyone else in town. The power of the Monks really does help protect Kamisu 66, after all.. But we aren't made to worship the Buddha or the Monks. So, for many generations, the Azikuki family has enshrined the goddess called Our Lady Akita. She appeared in a major religion that started over three thousand years ago, but when that religion died, some of us kept faithful to Akita. The legends say that she possessed a perfect soul, that she talked to angels, and that she gave birth to a god. She is a pure and sinless Goddess who can appear to people personally. Since I grew up with that tradition in my family, I know a few things about honoring a Goddess. Followers have to worship, serve, seek to understand, and pray to their deity. Sometimes, they also have to defend their deity, even getting into fights about it. Well. Mamoru? How do you think you score as one of my worshipers?"

Mamoru kept holding Maria's hand as he thought it over. To him, this was a chance to outdo Saki. It was also a challenge for him to speak his mind and get to describe his real feelings for the redhead. Mamoru felt nervous, but he was soothed by the sounds of the lake, the scents on the breeze, and the feel of the cool water on his feet.

"I definitely worship you, Maria," he began in a low voice. "Don't I always follow you around when we play and when we're at school? I'm happy that we live in the same village, just so I can be the one walking with you to school. I think I serve you pretty well as your best male friend. And well, I might not pray to you, but I try to understand you. I like your voice, your thoughts, and your personality. I don't see you as unsociable; you're just careful of where you place your trust. And I believe you're the most beautiful girl in this whole world. Being touched by you in the smallest way is an honor beyond compare. Even though I know you don't see me as a lover, I will be content to serve as your close friend. More than anything, I want to paint you. I want to capture your… magnificence. Nothing I draw even comes close, though."

"I'm honored, Mamoru," Maria said gently. "I'm sorry I can't be your lover, but there's someone else I like. I do really appreciate the fact you think so well of me. You are serving and honoring me with your paintings, you know, too. Your works move people. You're extremely attuned to the way things look, taste, sound, feel and smell. It's because you create and compose things that strongly affect the senses. I'm honored to be friends with such an artist."

Saki smiled, glad the two had shared their feelings and made their intentions clear. "Hey, you two," she remarked. "It's half past noon already. What's taking Shun so long?"

"I'll go after him and see what's up," Mamoru said, reluctantly releasing Maria's hand. "I have a feeling you two girls need to talk. So, just wait for me here or at Maria's house. I'll be back soon."

When the two girls were alone, they went back out into the water and floated side-by-side on their backs. The sun poured golden rays on them. It was so bright that Saki closed her eyes. She sighed in contentment. Now and then, she felt little minnows or a small fish passing under her.

"That Mamoru has the heart of a worshiper," remarked Maria, floating to her feet and sending a gentle plash at Saki. "But he doesn't have the boldness fall madly in love with his goddess. So Saki, do you have the heart of a worshiper?"

Saki knew that Maria was inviting her to share her feelings. "You already know that I admire you."

Saki had always worshipped the redhead. From day one, Mari had been like an Angel. Despite being the prettiest girl at Harmony Elementary, free to pick out anyone she wanted, the blue-eyed little girl chose to spend most of her time with Saki, who was not particularly popular. They ran in the fields, and Maria moved like a fairy in her frilly, pastel dresses. They played among the flowers, and Maria built the most detailed, beautiful necklaces and crowns of flowers. They collected nuts and mushrooms in the woods, and Maria always acquired the biggest and best of them. They went shopping, and Maria always knew the best places to go. They tried on clothes, and Maria looked gorgeous in whatever she wore. While Saki took several months longer to awaken her Cantus, Maria moved on early to Sage Academy. Once Saki caught up with her, she took advice, accepted help, and loved learning from the gifted Maria.

Over the past year, Saki's worshipful admiration grew. She loved the teas Maria made. She loved anything Maria cooked. She loved Maria's playful voice, the feel of her small white hands, and the comfort of her body when they embraced. Saki loved that Maria was so kind to Group One, even when one of the boys acted particularly stupid. Out of kindness, she tried to set up Saki with Shun. Out of kindness, she waited a year to declare her feelings for Saki. Surely, Maria was as sinless and beautiful as the Lady Akita.

Finding her footing on the soggy, sandy ground, Saki stood up. The water rose to just above chest level. Saki waded over to Maria and said she wanted to try something. She took Maria in her arms and held her like a princess. The water supported Maria's weight so Saki wasn't actually lifting a finger of her own. Still, she giggled.

"There, imagine you are my goddess, stuck in human form," she grinned. "I am your infatuated lover, holding you in the middle of a sea-storm."

"We're so ridiculous," Maria giggled. She kicked her feet in the water in slow motion while Saki carried her. "I know we're mostly playing, but whether I'm a goddess or not, you do try to serve me, Saki. You're my best friend. You carry things for me, open the doors, and play hostess. You want to protect me. You try to make everything simpler for me. You always help out my family. You help encourage me in school. You make me believe in myself with the way you always praise me. You defend me when anyone raises a word against me. You comfort me with your body even when you don't know how you should feel."

"Well, in that sense," replied Saki, watching Maria's long braid come undone in the water, "you 'serve' me, too. I seek comfort from you. A devout worshiper should be able to find peace from his deity, right? You comforted me by becoming my first and best friend. You calm me down when I'm angry at the boys or at the school. When I'm together with you, I feel a wonderful sense of peace. It's like… I'm right where I should be."

It felt good to finally reveal her feelings. Saki kept talking, while Maria put her arms loosely around the brunette's neck. Both girls felt so elated to be next to each other.

"I think seeking to understand your lover is what's most important," Saki said. "And if you're a Goddess, me trying to get on your level proves I've already fallen in love with you. And for me, it's not a challenge, but a treat to learn more about you. I've seen that you get tired and impatient when you're around people too long. So I take care not to overwhelm you by hanging out 24-7. I try to pick up your slack and stay lively when we're stuck in social situations like long group study sessions. I'm able to help you when you stuck on a Cantus assignment because I understand the way you think. When you practice visualizations for your Cantus, you think in terms of parts and pieces. That's why sometimes you need to be reminded to look at the big picture. You learn things by doing, and you don't like theoretical stuff. So I help you in learn in class by doing the Cantus assignment with you, instead of trying to abstractly explain."

Saki had also noticed interesting contrasts between Maria's personality and her own. While Saki could be overly passionate, Maria often refused to express her feelings. She only opened up about herself if she had thought it over long and hard. Unlike the brunette, the redhead possessed a solid sense of responsibility and duty. She could be counted on to follow through, whereas Saki sometimes moved between interests so quickly she sometimes failed in completing tasks. When it came to the handful of people in her life that Maria truly loved, Maria had trouble saying "no" to any request. She did everything possible to avoid conflict. Saki, meanwhile, occasionally offended people by being so outspoken. Whatever their differences were, though, Mari was certainly sensitive, generous, and dependable.

"It sounds like you've made your feelings clear," Maria said, taking Saki's hand and wading back toward the beach. "Abstractions aside, I don't want to be a Goddess, but I love that you admire me, help me, and understand me. I think I do all the same things for you. What's more, you and I confide in each other. That's the most important thing that separates your devotion from Mamoru's. He doesn't ever tell me what's really on his mind, so I become nervous about sharing myself, too."

Mari began drying her long hair with a white towel when the girls reached land again. Meanwhile, Saki gently dried off the rest of Maria's body—her elegant legs, her smooth arms, her delicate neck, her bare shoulders, and the part of her chest that the green slip left exposed. Maria blushed but said nothing.

"I love you, Maria," Saki said at last. "Let's not tell anyone till this mess with Satoru blows over."

As she spoke, Saki wore a half-embarrassed smile on her face and was shaking slightly with nerves. She stood up and embraced Maria, letting her hands wander down the redhead's side and hips. She lowered her head just slightly and met Maria's clever sapphire eyes with her perceptive chestnut ones.

The girls moved their heads so their faces were within an inch of each other. At the same moment, they closed their eyes and let their lips meet. It was a light kiss, but it felt amazing to Saki. Maria's lips were the perfect texture, the right level of moist, and her mouth was so cute and perfectly sized. Behind the forced gentleness, Saki could faintly detect the passion Maria held back.

"Saki," said the redhead in a gentle whisper, "I think you will be my friend and lover till the day I die."


	8. Alliance

***Canal between White Sand and Hayring, Kamisu 66***

Shun wasn't sure what to think of Satoru. He had always pictured the rowdy boy as more of a brother figure; but then again, Shun never had a brother. Perhaps it would be better to say that Satoru was everything Shun would have wanted in a brother, plus a little more. Satoru tended to be stubborn and vain, but he always followed Shun's lead and took advice from him alone.

"He's not so bad," Shun told his parents one day, when they asked about Satoru. "He always has my back in a pinch. He studies with me, and tries to copy my Cantus. He's the only one of Group One that takes a long time to tire me out."

Satoru was a constant in Shun's life. He was not sorry he had to see the lively boy five or six days a week. At times, the gentle, dark-haired boy could get so furious at the tawny-haired troublemaker. The boys possessed almost opposite personalities. However, that made them closer, in a way.

Thinking back, Shun could recall any of number of stories showing how different the two of them could be. He remembered one day in particular, when they were eleven and Satoru stayed overnight at the Aonuma house. When Satoru saw Shun's grey walled room with its dark-wood furniture and neat, stackable boxes, he looked amazed. He wandered slowly through the room like a child in a museum.

"Shun, is this really your room?" asked Satoru, blinking his clever amethyst eyes. "Everything is so… organized. What's up with that?"

"My room is average," Shun had replied, affectionately nudging the back of his friend's head. "Your room looks like it was damaged by a tornado."

After that, they played Hanafuda, using shiny, teal-colored stones as betting chips. Although he wasn't particularly invested in the game, Shun still felt irritated as he lost continually.

"Shun, I won the round again," Satoru announced. "You lost almost all your chips. How do you gamble?"

"I don't know." Shun shrugged. "I bet more when I feel lucky or when I have to in order stay in the game."

"No, no, no." Satoru threw an arm around Shun and started speaking like a gaming master. "You've got to use strategy, Shun. Strategy! You've got to use logic in your decisions and don't just go by how you feel. I guess Hanafuda isn't really your game." Satoru wondered what else they could do. "Hmm. I know. Shun, why don't you make a model building with me? They're fun and easy."

"Easy for you," Shun replied drily. "But I just don't think like that. Architecture is all about parts, pieces, and details. I prefer stuff like… like my new Cantus assignment. My project is helping the garden vegetables grow. I get a feel for their life and gently give them Cantus energy to boost their growth."

"How do you even understand how to do that theoretical stuff?" Satoru looked like he had a bad taste in his mouth. "Hmm… it's late already. Hey, want to spend the night at my place in Hayring tomorrow?"

"Thanks," Shun smiled, "but I want to be alone tomorrow evening."

"Booooring," Satoru sniggered. "Why are you so quiet? Don't you feel more alive around other people?"

Shun sighed. "This is normal for some of us, Satoru. It's called being an introvert."

Despite these differences, the boys had been through thick and thin together. Since they, like everyone in that society, used touch as a way to relive stress, Satoru and Shun had experimented a bit shortly after starting Sage Academy. Thanks to their culture, the boys were already used to cuddling and hugging. At the end of their twelfth year, they both wanted to explore each other's bodies. The young adolescents took to bathing together whenever Satoru visited Shun's house. They kissed, touched, and washed each other's bodies.

Shun found that he was just as much attracted to men's bodies as he was to the pictures of women's figures that the boys stole. However, he felt uncomfortable with the level of intimacy Satoru desired. At the time, Shun was just too shy to do anything more sexual. He hated feeling vulnerable. So he stopped bathing with Satoru and decided he would rather wait a few years to see how he felt about a lover.

Poor Satoru must have been in love even then, because he started to act even needier after that. The green-eyed boy asked him for more space, and the childish Satoru ended up screwing around with Rei. Shun told himself he was mad at the tawny boy for being impulsive and for having such powerful sexual needs; in reality, Shun admitted to himself he had been jealous. He didn't want Satoru loving someone else. At the same time, though, he was beginning to develop strong feelings for Saki.

Until summer got well underway, Shun was able to more or less forget about Satoru. But now, if his word could be trusted, it seemed that Satoru has broken up with Rei. He tried to ask his best friend to date him, but Shun turned him down. Truthfully, the dark-haired boy felt conflicted. He loved Satoru, despite their differences, but he also liked Saki, the smartest and prettiest of Group One.

Thinking over all this, Shun hurried back toward Hayring. He told himself he was hastening because he wanted to knock some sense into Satoru. In actuality, he hurried because he felt worried about his friend. Shun used his Cantus to power the two-man boat through the canals and back and back northeast to Hayring. He pulled up at the popular wharf a fifteen minute walk from Satoru's house.

***Asahina Residence, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

After securing the boat, Shun walked quickly down the dirt road to the Asahina Residence. Beyond a grove of old trees and a mountain foothill, he beheld the small, neat house. There were no obvious signs that someone was home, but the polite boy knocked anyway. Nobody answered, so he entered. It didn't take long to figure out where Satoru was hiding.

The boy with the sage-brush eyes was prepared to see his childhood partner in a miserable state. The broken dishes and furniture, the empty wine bottle, the open ale keg, the destroyed models, and the burned sketches—Shun had prepared himself for all that. He was even ready to deal with a delirious Satoru, who probably hadn't slept well or eaten properly for days. Seeing Satoru on the stone floor wearing nothing but underwear was disturbing, but Shun was prepared even for that. The only thing he didn't expect was that Satoru would be so close to dying.

Satoru only vaguely noticed Shun rushing to his side, and he wasn't sure if the image was real. He was in a world of sweat, pain, and panic that left him confused and gasping for breath. His body—all the major muscle groups—ached like he had been beaten within an inch of his life. Excruciating carpopedal spasms had him whimpering. Agonizing, burning pain kept erupting in Satoru's stomach and upper abdomen. His face kept twitching, and he drifted in and out of consciousness. His heart was beating as if he was being chased by monster rats, and it felt like it was skipping beats.

"Satoru, what happened?" demanded Shun, grabbing his friend's hands. "You're really, really sick. I'll go get help for you, ok?"

Weakly, Satoru squeezed Shun's hand. "Please… don't go."

Shun tried to ignore the strange surge of affection he felt. "Satoru, you need water. I'll use that vase."

After hurrying over to the basement sink, Shun returned to Satoru's side carrying a cracked-vase-full of cold water. Then he held the water up to his friend's lips, holding it steady while Satoru struggled to take a sip. Removing his light robe, he used it to pillow Satoru's head. Then he spoke quickly but in a low voice.

"Satoru, quickly. I'm going to see if I can estimate your vital signs and check you for a fever. Regardless of what I conclude, I'm going to find a doctor for you right after. So while I'm doing this, please tell me. Tell me what happened, Satoru. What did you do to yourself? Was it poison?"

"I…" Satoru struggled. "I… k-killed someone."

"That's impossible!" snapped Shun, counting a pulse through Satoru's wrist. "Humans can't kill humans!"

"No…" Satoru panted. "That's right. It was a monster rat. I checked the body. It had to be a monster rat! …Do you remember…. the False Minoshiro at summer camp… last year? Remember… Death Feedback?"

Closing his eyes and trying to block out the pain, Satoru wondered how to tell Shun the truth. Where could he start? Everything had been his fault. He would deserve it if the Education Committee eliminated him, he thought. He never should have gone out that night after burning Shun's portrait. He regretted ever learning to create fire.

Blinded by rage and pain, young Satoru left his house the previous night and set out on a mission to destroy. Destroying things was the only pastime that felt good anymore. And if that meant destroying his life in the process, Satoru didn't mind. So he decided on arson. That night he found four empty or abandoned barns and sheds around Hayring. He burned them to the ground and then put out the fire with Cantus. Satoru had no intention of hurting a living thing; that's why he only unleashed his destructive power on vacant constructions. However, with his fifth arson at sunrise, he ended up destroying something alive.

The building in question was an abandoned farmhouse on the eastern outskirts of Hayring. The once neat, tilled fields around it were now overgrown with weeds, tall grass, and hardy young saplings. Satoru bush-whacked his way through till he stood at the dusty door of the dark, empty farmhouse. He quickly checked to make sure nobody was there, calling out as well as searching manually. Finding no sign of life, Satoru retreated a half dozen yards away and began using his Cantus to create fire.

As the small fire spread from the master bedroom to the rest of the house, Satoru watched in vicious satisfaction. Flames crept like vines all over the room, burned the floorboards, and fell through to the kitchen below. From there it hungrily spread in all directions, rapidly transforming from a crackling sprite to a roaring demon of energy. The yellow and orange tongues of fire were colored almost identically to the rays of the sunrise. The bright carrot-red of the biggest flames was unique, and filled Satoru with a strange sensation of power and inspiration.

Then Satoru heard screaming. The sound came from the barn affixed to the house. The door had already burned down, so Satoru could see a silhouette of a small person inside. The person had caught fire and was too blinded by pain to try to run through the flaming, broken door. Why?—how?—what was a child doing in the empty barn?!

Panicking, Satoru ran toward the victim, simultaneously beginning to calm the flames. He rushed into the barn, picked up the screaming, blackened person, and rushed back outside to safety. Satoru remembered starting to feel sick the moment he looked at the "rescued" child. It was too late. The small creature was burned beyond recognition and had already lost consciousness. In a minute, the victim's breath stopped, and its heart shut down. It was dead.

Satoru would have died from the Death of Shame or Death Feedback right then if he hadn't noticed. He looked again at the body, and in the growing light, he could tell it was not a human child after all. It was a monster rat with a particularly anthropomorphic body structure. It may have been hiding out in the abandoned barn. In the creature's terror, it had hidden itself from Satoru when he had searched the farmhouse.

When he and Saki stayed with Squeera's tribe last year, Satoru had killed many monster rats. At that time, he encountered no difficulties ending the lowly creatures' lives. When the Monk Rijin wiped out a rat army with a tornado, Satoru remembered feeling relief, and no sympathy at all. Killing one more monster rat, then, should not have been a huge deal. Nobody even cared about the death of one monster rat, so there would be no legal ramifications. Despite all this, however, Satoru found himself immensely disturbed after killing the rat in the barn. Because the creature had looked and sounded so human—because he was at first convinced it must be human—Satoru began experiencing Death Feedback.

"It all happened because I was burning things," Satoru coughed, while Shun finished looking over him. "A little monster rat got caught up in it…"

Shun seemed to have relaxed somewhat. He sat on his knees beside Satoru. Though he looked annoyed hearing that Satoru had been so destructive, he also appeared incredibly relieved. The urgency was gone from his voice, from his actions. Kindness returned to his jade eyes. He took off his soft undershirt, ripped a piece off, and soaked in water. He began bathing Satoru's body with the cool, wet cloth. If they hadn't been in such a serious situation, both boys would have been blushing at each other's shirtless-ness.

"I remember most of our talk with the False Minoshiro," Shun stated. "You're definitely having Death Feedback. Particularly, it looks like failure of the parathyroid. You also have signs of kidney problems, and your pulse and fever are pretty damn high. But you won't die, Satoru."

"I don't know why I haven't died yet." The pain was decreasing, but speech still proved difficult. "The Death of Shame… should happen within minutes or hours. …I've been sick, off and on, since sunrise. Every time I think about that rat… how it looked just like a child…"

"That's why you're not going to die," Shun stated emphatically. "Your brain still isn't sure if it killed a person or not. All you need is for a trusted person to assure you that you're not a murderer. Then your body should recover quickly."

Shun gently touched the side of his friend's face and turned his head so their eyes met. The sick boy's violet eyes stared weakly back, blinking, at the other boy's serious, intense, emerald eyes.

"Satoru Asahina," he said. "You have accidentally caused the death of a monster rat. However, please don't allow this to confuse your psyche. You have not killed a human. Humans can't kill humans. You are not a murderer. You can rest assured of your innocence."

Shun sat back, breaking the intense eye contact. "I need to tell the others what's going on. I left them all at the beach in White Sand. I'm reluctant to leave though, since…"

"What?" Satoru asked faintly.

With his face turning red, Shun folded his arms in irritation. "Well," he muttered, "somebody needs to stay with you to make sure the symptoms really do all go away in the next few hours. Ideally, you need someone to stay with you overnight. I heard about your dad, and I also heard that Mrs. Asahina went to visit a relative. Somebody has to stay with you, so…"

For the first time in days, Satoru genuinely smiled. Somehow, he looked less like a boy at that moment and more like a young man. His usual smile was a mischievous, toothy grin, but he smiled sincerely, his closed mouth curved upward just slightly, and the tension eased around his brow. A gentle and honest expression emanated from his amaranthine eyes. When he thought of Shun staying with him, Satoru thought he must be dreaming, and so he smiled from the bottom of his heart.

Mamoru stopped by shortly after Satoru's symptoms decreased and he dozed off into a light sleep. Reporting that the girls were still in White Sand, Mamoru asked what was going on. Shun said Satoru was just sick and needed some company. Tomorrow, Shun promised, he and Satoru would meet up with everyone at Sage Academy. Mamoru kindly said nothing about Shun staying over with Satoru. The helpful boy repaired a few broken dishes and made dinner for Shun, who wouldn't leave Satoru's side. Soon after, Mamoru headed back to report to Maria and Saki.

"I still don't want to depend on anyone. But you know, I think I would like having someone depend on me. You're a mess without me, aren't you, Satoru? Maybe it's not healthy, but that dependence makes you strangely attractive. Don't worry. You can depend on me this time."

Satoru heard those words whispered from just behind him. He found himself upstairs in his bed, still naked besides his underwear. On the same bed, with his arms around Satoru, lay Shun. He had whispered those words just before falling asleep. He leaned his shirtless body against Satoru's back, and rested his head just above Satoru's. Shun's breath gently moved through the other boy's tawny hair.

A wonderful sense of peace washed over Satoru. Regardless of what might happen tomorrow, regardless if Shun still refused to date, he had, for that one night, devoted himself to Satoru. Not even the joy of burning buildings could compare to the feeling of sleeping next to the one he loved. Satoru kissed Shun's sleeping face. He then slowly sank into a deep, restful sleep.


	9. Victory

***Asahina Residence, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

When Satoru woke up the next morning, all signs of Death Feedback had vanished. He knew he must be back to normal, too, because he certainly woke up hard. That was due to Shun. Satoru watched as the taller boy changed clothes. He dressed in Satoru's spare school uniform, which was complete with freshly pressed bow, handkerchief, and underwear. When Shun changed the latter, Satoru noticed that his crush had grown since the last time they bathed together. If he kept growing like that, then in a few years he would end up with a large—and attractive—"masculine trait." Satoru felt so overpowered, he accidentally let out a small sigh.

Shun instantly pulled on the school tunic and trousers and started tying the bow. His face reddened.

"You were watching me change?" he snapped. "Childish. Well, I'm NOT here to provide morning service for you. Put some real clothes on, Satoru!" he added quickly, when the other boy stood up in nothing but thin underwear, which clearly showed his erection.

"Sorry." Satoru tried to take things seriously for Shun's sake, and he began dressing for school too.

"Satoru," said Shun abruptly, when the two were eating a hasty breakfast in the trashed kitchen. "I've been a coward all this time. I care about you, and I like your personality—and… your body too. So maybe… I could at least consider the idea of dating. It's even more obvious now that I see you ruining your life without me. But how can I be sure… that you… I mean, I don't want to be used like Rei."

"I would make a true and genuine boyfriend," Satoru stated evenly. "My love goes far beyond just wanting to use you."

At first, Satoru's love for Shun was brotherly love. Together, they each had somebody talented to admire, somebody to tell stupid jokes with, somebody to laugh at when one of them screwed up, somebody to compete with fiercely, and somebody who would always have their back. However, as Satoru grew, he realized that he loved Shun in other ways, too.

The green-eyed boy may as well have been the best person in the world. Shun possessed great power with Cantus, so Satoru decided it was good to learn from him. Shun had both a strategic mind and a desire to get along, so Satoru decided it was good to play sports with him. Among all other boys, in Satoru's mind, Shun was the best, so Satoru decided it was good to be seen with him. Shun had the most unique face, the most manly build, the coolest hair, the most interesting thoughts, the most beautiful voice—among men and women alike. At Harmony Elementary, Satoru and Shun did everything together.

Then, around age twelve, Satoru found yet another kind of love for Shun. At first, the thoughts were innocent enough: "I like the way he looks in his uniform," "I like his face is so innocent", "I like the way his body is built", or at most, "I like hugging him because it's good to be close to him." Those thoughts gradually turned into things like "I want to touch his face" "I want to see him without his clothes" "I wonder how happy he must look when he jerks off" and "I want to make him equally happy." By the time the New Year started, Satoru had figured out he was mostly homosexual.

After Satoru explained all this—the development of his feelings—Shun looked like he took it more seriously.

"Alright," he said. "It's partly because I kind of like you, it's partly to keep you out of trouble, and it's partly because you've loved me for so long. I will agree to try things out with you, Satoru. And no, I don't mean I want to jerk off and f*** all day. I only want to spend some time with you one-on-one, and see how I feel. So think of today as a test run where you have to impress me."

Satoru leaped up and hugged Shun, nearly knocking him out of his chair.

"I'll impress you alright! Nothing gets me more motivated than a little pressure."

"Pressure, and cute boys," added Shun. "Please don't pounce on me like that. That's annoying. Besides that, though, it's good to see you so happy. And you should be. You're going to school with your crush. You'll walk to and from classes together, and work at the same table."

This time, when Satoru smiled, it was the smile of a boy deeply in love.

***Sage Academy, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

Satoru and Shun met with Maria and Mamoru on their way inside the building. Within the classroom, they met up with Saki. Everyone felt a little awkward, but was glad to see each other. Satoru apologized to everyone for worrying them and causing trouble. He wasn't sure if he should mention that today was a "test date" with Shun, so he said nothing. Saki, likewise, hesitated to say anything about her decision with Maria in front of both Shun and Mamoru. They took their seats and kept conversation casual.

School went by relatively uneventfully. The adolescents practiced many applications of Cantus, as well as listening to lectures. Finally, Sensei Endou released everyone for the day. The members of Group One each went their own ways. Saki left a little early to get a head start on the washing and cooking she had to do that day. Shun agreed to walk with Shun back to his home before taking the canals to Pinewind. Mamoru intended to accompany Maria back to White Sand on his boat, but Maria changed her mind as the two of them approached the boat landing area closest to Sage Academy.

"I think I'm going to go on ahead and catch up to Saki," the redhead said. "I don't know when I'll head back to White Sand, so don't wait for me. Thanks for ride offer, though."

"You and Saki," sighed Mamoru, climbing into his boat "You're a couple now, right? That's why you want to go after her all of a sudden. There's nothing stopping you now, so why not, right? Saki is…a lucky girl."

After Mamoru took his leave, Maria started walking brusquely down the dirt road that led toward Saki's house. She wanted to catch up with Saki, who often traveled slowly, easily distracted.

Wide, hard-dirt roads connected most of the neighborhoods, major farms, and facilities within Hayring. Within residential areas, houses were well spelled apart, usually hidden from view of each other. There were only about three hundred residences total in Hayring. These houses were sometimes connected by the canals, but the easiest way to move among them was to take the network of thinner, less well-kept village paths. Maria knew what route Saki usually took home, so she followed, and found herself on a narrow dirt path leading over a forested hill.

On one side of the raised path, at the bottom of the slope, there was a large pond used as a water reservoir and freshwater fish source. Maria happened to glance down at the little wetland, which was when she caught sight of Saki. The young brunette stood on the shore, being forced to back up to the lake by a group of three monster rats surrounding her. The little beasts, each about three feet tall, even held weapons in their crooked, clawed fingers. They were screaming their chittering native tongue at the girl.

Saki had always been interested in monster rats. She listened eagerly to the stories of rat tribes and customs that her father used to tell. She was always impressed with how intelligent the creatures were, and how they served humanity so devotedly. They did a lot of the manual labor of the villages. In reality, the monster rats served entirely out of fear, but Saki was taught that the rats' worshipping of humanity was both instinctually driven and genuinely felt. Saki never thought of humans being the powerful tyrants who enslaved the monster rats. In her opinion, humans were dangerously scarce, so they had no choice but to assume a role of superiority to avoid being replaced by the monster rats. The humans allowed the rats to self-govern, with some restrictions, so both races were reasonably happy.

Comparing monster rats to humans often produced confusion and emotional turmoil. Saki understood that there were vast differences between the species, so she never anthropomorphized the rats. She never assumed that they could—or couldn't—feel the same emotions as humans. However, Saki did develop some reasonable sympathy for them. When the Monk Rijin wiped out an army of monster rats, Saki had felt devastated, and even the Monk started showing signs of Death Feedback because the corpses looked so human. Spending time with Squeera and Kiroumaru also had a significant effect on the young adolescent. She decided she wanted to treat monster rats as fairly and justly as possible.

Lately, on her way to Sage Academy, Saki often beheld three relatively burly monster rats working in and around the reservoir. They often squeaked and grunted at each other in unintelligible conversation. Unfortunately, the curious girl carried her fascination with the rodents a little too far. Thinking she knew what she was doing, she addressed the nonhumans on her way home from school. She thought she knew enough of their native tongue by listening for so many days, but she must have said something extremely insulting. The monster rats became aggressive as soon as they heard her.

Now, they were slowly forcing Saki toward the water as they surrounded her on three sides. They chittered and snarled threateningly, and two of them even brandished weapons. One carried a knife for gutting fish and the other held a long metal pole for estimating water depth. The creatures must have mistaken Saki for a younger child, whose Cantus had not yet awakened. Otherwise, they would never have dared to show hostility. It would be easy to fight the monster rats with Cantus, Saki thought, but she still didn't wish to kill them. She kept innocently pleading with them to calm down. All the same, her eyes were moving rapidly around the scenery, looking for something to use to her advantage.

As the first of the three monster rats charged forward, Saki reached into the brush and grabbed one of rats' fishing poles. She knocked the oncoming rat on the side of his large head, sending his whole body sprawling. This form of defense must have confirmed the rodents' assumption that Saki was powerless. They nonhumans immediately redoubled their efforts to attack the naïve adolescent. Jumping to the side, Saki barely missed a heavy blow from the metal pole, meant for her head.

Just then, Maria quickly intervened. She raised both hands, turned her palms to face the attackers, and then violently swung both arms backward and to the left. All three monster rats rose into the air and floated there for a second before an energy wave of Cantus sent them flying yards away into the reservoir. Running down the slope from the raised path, Maria shouted for Saki. They met in a passionate embrace. Maria felt relieved… but also aggravated.

"Saki! What the hell were you doing? You absolutely have to use your Cantus around monster rats. Otherwise they won't see you as one of their gods. Even I know that much!"

"Sorry to make you worry," Saki replied ruefully. "I just really didn't want to kill them."

"Well, I'm perfectly fine with the idea of letting them go ahead and drown."

"Maria, that's not like you. Besides, everything will be fixed if I just get them out of the water. They will see I can use Cantus after all."

As she spoke, Saki isolated the space around one of the helpless rodents and used Cantus to pull him to shore. She took the knife and the pole and threw them into the pond so nobody could use them. Then she quickly rescued the other two monster rats. At first all coughed and spluttered too much to speak. Then they lay their bodies down in prostrate bows. They must have been begging for their lives. Saki smiled at them and tried to communicate an order for them to go home.

"You're going to let them go?" Maria asked in a somewhat concerned voice. "Any monster rat can easily be killed by the village for lifting a finger against a human. Now, I understand nobody wants to actually do the dirty work. I certainly don't. But if these monsters are capable of attacking children on the roadside, then maybe we have a responsibility to end them here."

"Nope." Saki shook her head cheerily. "In terms of responsibility, I'm the one who started all this. I said something really stupid. I don't know what it was, but apparently it was pretty darn offensive." She left the monster rats groveling and began trudging back up the hill. "Oh by the way, Maria. Haha… I guess you kind of pretty much saved my life. You're my savior for real now. That's my Goddess, Megumi Mar—"

"Come on, dummy," said Maria affectionately. "Let's go to your house. I demand dinner."

"Yes, my Goddess."

***Watanabe Residence, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

Long after dinner, after an evening of games and crafts, the girls snuck into the Watanabe flower garden. Describe garden. A few fruit and flower trees, along with a low stone wall, made up the border. In the spring, gentle yellow-and-white ume flowers and gorgeous pink cherry blossoms would have decorated the tree branches. As it was, many summer flowers were in bloom inside the garden. There were a few late-blooming, moon-dust carnations of deep, rich purple and blue shades. Sapphire bellflowers drooped sleepily next to a row of orange lilies closed up for the night. Morning glory vines trailed along artistically placed trellises and decorations. A few fluffy, yellow flowers bloomed early in Saki's chrysanthemum patch. In another month or two, the bright, adorable little cosmos flowers should start to blossom.

There in the garden, hidden among the bushes and shrubs, Saki and Maria sat on top of a thick, tough sheet. Maria said she wanted to lay down outside to see the stars. However, neither of the girls went out because they were actually interested in the stars. Both of them wanted a chance to let loose with each other now that everything was out in the open. The girls were lovers now. They could do whatever they wanted. Even Maria, who was not an impulsive person, wanted to give some things a try. As eager as they both felt, however, they were equally awkward and inexperienced.

"So…" Maria wondered aloud. "Do we hug first? Um, how you get started?"

"I have no idea," Saki said nervously. "I'm not some expert in this area. But I think we need to relax. Let me brush your hair."

"You always want to brush my hair."

"Because it's perfect and I want it to shine!"

For the next several minutes, Saki brushed Maria's long hair with a turquoise comb. Mari never ceased to be surprised at how relaxed she felt when Saki did this. As for Saki, she worshipfully admired the long, thick locks of red. Once, she brushed her face against Maria's long hair and inhaled. She said it had a sweet smell, and Maria laughed at her.

"What if I cut my hair so it was short and cute like yours?" asked Maria.

"Don't do that," Saki said, putting the comb away. "I want to be the one with short hair."

"You mean, the boyish one? So you want to seem more dominant, huh? Well then you also have to be the kind of person who takes initiative. Do you know what I mean, Saki?"

In answer, Saki faced Maria and kissed her lips. The girl sat on their knees, kissing in the dark for a few minutes. Maria proved more passionate than Saki had expected. She felt a firecracker of happiness erupt in her gut, thinking about the beautiful girl she had the honor of kissing. They kept going, trying different things, until Saki finally grew breathless.

"Maria," whispered Saki, placing a hand on her partner's light, sky-blue robe. "I want to see you. Will you let me…?"

"As long as I get to do the same to you." Maria gently touched the sides of Saki's tunic.

The girls slowly, and with some embarrassment, undressed each other's top layers. Maria's black underskirt and Saki's sleepwear shorts remained untouched. Saki lifted the silky robe off Maria, after playfully untying the bands and cords that helped it shape her figure. Underneath, she wore a pale green, sleeveless, and padded undershirt. Maria undid Saki's cloth belt and helped her slip out of her tunic. Then Saki gradually removed Maria's undershirt while the redhead unfastened the cloth ties supporting Saki's growing chest. They admired each other, and Saki's right hand rested lightly on Maria's left breast.

"They're so beautiful," Maria said in reference to Saki's bosoms. "Can I touch yours too?"

"Maria! What the hell! That felt weird."

"I think it feels good to fondle them and press on them. Do it to me." She sighed in bliss while Saki groped at her breasts. "Well? It's good, right?"

"They feel so moldable and soft." Saki smiled sweetly.

"Here, lay down. Let me try something."

Maria climbed over top Saki's body. At first it felt awkward, but Maria soon took a comfortable position, leaned forward, and kissed Saki. Looking at her from above, Maria thought that Saki looked even more endearing than before. From below, Saki felt like she was being kissed by an Angel.

"Hey, can you feel it?" asked Saki, getting her breath after a passionate kiss.

"What?" Maria asked.

"That strange throbbing. The feeling that you're dying to move. And, well, between your legs."

"Mmhmm," Maria nodded. "But for me, I'm not dying to move. I'm dying… to be touched?"

"Then let me on top."

When Saki climbed on top, she let the front of her crotch rest against Maria's. As she kissed the redhead, Saki became increasingly aware of how wonderful her lower body felt. Struck by a sudden idea, the brunette started moving. Forward and back, forward and back. She was rubbing against Maria.

"Saki!" gasped Maria, taken aback by the wonder of the sensation.

"Maria!" Saki exclaimed, overflowing with this new sensual pleasure.

After grinding for a little while, Saki fell to the side, exhausted. Maria turned over onto her side, facing Saki, thanking her, and telling her it was just fine to rest. They cuddled up together. The girls held each other there, on the thick burgundy sheet in the dark garden.

"This is so comfortable," Saki sighed. "Maria? Hey, what are you doing?"

Maria's hands had wondered down over Saki's lightweight shorts. Her fingers fidgeted with the clasp.

"I'm up to no good as usual," the redhead smiled. "Let's take these off too."

Sitting up to adjust herself, Maria started taking off her short black underskirt.

Saki smiled and took Maria's hands, stopping her. "Maria," she said, "you don't have to push yourself. You must be tired too. We'll have all the chances in the world to do this other nights. We can do whatever we want. But for tonight, let's just take our time."

They settled down to sleep. It felt comforting to rest up against each other's warm, smooth bodies. Maria slept with her arms protectively around Saki, hands loosely clasped over her chest. Saki was the one treasure she would protect with her life. After all, a Goddess must protect her followers.


	10. The Bliss of Ignorance

***Kurouku Creek, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

Well before the start of school, Saki awoke and walked toward Sage Academy. Near the school, a healthy stream flowed southward. A beaten dirt path followed alongside the stream on one side. The stream was known as Kurouku Creek because, along the path to its side, several black oak trees spread their thick roots and extended their ancient branches toward the sky. There were no mini-shrines built by the old trees, but white fiber _shide_ streamers crisscrossed the wide bases of the tree trunks. These marked the black oaks as proper places for prayer and meditation.

Saki walked beside the stream because she found it so peaceful and quiet. She came here about once a month to walk in solitude and enjoy the gradually increasing light of sunrise. Watching the birds was also a treasured pastime for the young adolescent.

As she walked that morning, Saki felt full of a kind of quiet happiness. Contentment? She couldn't help looking at the world with rose-colored glasses. After all, she and Maria were lovers now. Could there be anything more wonderful in the world? Saki answered her own question in her head: there is nothing more wonderful than being with the one you love, but there are things in the world besides wonder and happiness that needed attention.

For instance, Saki still struggled with memories of last summer camp. They could be distressing. Should she focus and try to remember everything the False Minoshiro said? Or was it better to forget? The Demon Minoshiro had taught Saki about the truth of world, but hadn't it been the story of a very sad, scary world? Dreams and flashbacks began to replace any clearly defined recollections. Vaguely, Saki wondered why she was being made to forget, and who was forcing her to do so.

The girl's thoughts were interrupted when she spotted Shun. He was coming from the opposite direction, following Kurouku upstream. Saki waved, and after pausing to try to recognize her, Shun waved back. Without any particular hurry, they each kept walking, slowly approaching each other. Both felt increasingly awkward the closer together they became. When they finally met, Shun's face was red.

"Saki," he stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"I like this creek," Saki answered honestly. "And the black oaks make a great place for meditation. It's much less scary than going to a shrine. Do you like this place, too?"

Shun nodded. "I love the birds you can see along the water. Have you seen those lilac herons? They're like Minoshiro, in that they are born outside the barrier, but allowed in because they're harmless. Anyway…. Do you mind if we talk for a minute?"

The two young teenagers sat down in the cushy grass that sloped downward to meet with the creek.

"You can always talk to me," Saki stated. "In fact, I wish you would talk more. It's hard to know what you're thinking or feeling. By the way, I never got the chance to really make up with you before. I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable, physically, and yelled at you. In your own house, too. I guess teenage girls like me are pretty emotional after all."

"So are teenage boys," replied Shun with a slight smile. "I mean, look at what I did that day. It's that day at my house that I wanted to talk to you about. I acted stupid… I said ridiculous, selfish things… I'm so sorry."

"It's not really selfish to state how you feel," Saki shrugged. "You wanted to make it clear how you felt."

"But it's not how I really feel. I've just been a coward, Saki. I don't want to rely on anyone. I don't want to feel unguarded. So I came up with the moral arguments to support my insecurity. The truth is…"

Shun turned and looked meaningfully at Saki. He reached for her hand as they sat side by side. Saki did not pull away, but her features suddenly changed. She looked troubled. Uncomfortable. Awkward. But she looked, also, like she needed to say the words on her mind in order to lift the discomfort.

"Saki," began Shun. "You see… I've always…"

"Please stop," said Saki, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry, Shun. I'm really sorry. I have strong feelings for you, but I would like to think of you as a trusted companion, not a lover. Maria and I are a couple now."

"I see." Shun tried to smile to hide the pain. "So it's true. I hesitated too long."

Saki looked away. She couldn't stand to see the pain in Shun's eyes. If she had only known this boy's future, she would have given up everything to make his final year-and-a-half happy. But she had no way of knowing that Shun would fall prey to such a disastrous disease. She didn't know he would become a Karma Demon. The silence was heavy and Saki felt like her own heart was breaking for Shun. But…

"You can always choose someone else," Saki spoke at last. "Normally that would be an insensitive thing to say, but don't you kind of have your mind on someone else anyway?"

"Yes, it's strange," the boy agreed, blushing again. "My parents are monogamous. You would think I might inherit something like that. But I love Satoru as much as I love you. I wonder if he'll still let me date him after I've selfishly turned him down so many times."

"Don't hesitate this time," the girl advised him. "Ask him today."

Shun nodded determinedly. Then he and Saki stood up. The sun had fully risen, and it was about time for school. Soon Satoru would arrive, closely followed by Maria from White Sand. As Saki walked, she saw a kingfisher dive into the stream. It happened so fast that it startled her and she nearly stumbled. A second later, the bird reamerged. It hadn't caught the fish. However, it perched its beautiful blue body on a tree branch overlooking the water. The hunting bird intended to try again. Saki paused and gave Shun's hand a quick squeeze.

"Just let me say this," she requested. "Saying 'not now' is not the same as saying 'never.' I won't be selfish. You can date whoever you want. I'm in love with Maria. We're going to enjoy our childish little romance and treasure it in our hearts. But if something ever happens between you and me, Shun, I want it to be the kind of love adults feel. I don't want to be some little girl you just mess with. I want… someday… to be a real woman you truly love. But we're not there, Shun. We're just kids."

"You're not being ironic, preaching my words back at me?" asked Shun, both touched and annoyed.

"No," answered Saki. "I was being perfectly sincere."

***Outside Sage Academy, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

After school that day, Shun decided to walk Satoru home again. One would never have known that the tawny-haired boy's life had been in danger two nights ago. Now, Satoru acted almost ridiculously happy. The lively smile seldom left his face as long as Shun stayed around. He seemed to walk with a spring in his step, he worked with more focus in class, and he barely teased Saki that day. If Shun had been any other type of person, he might have found all this annoying. However, his personality tended to emulate the positive feelings of someone close and trusted.

"So, Satoru." Shun took his partner's hand without missing a beat. "It seems like you're desperate without me. But when we're on good terms again, you're as happy as a monster rat with a fresh turnip. When you're like this… I think it's cute. And yeah, sure, you're demanding. But…"

Satoru came to a dead standstill. "Shun!" he exclaimed. "Are you saying—?"

"Hush, let me finish. Ahem. Satoru, I like you. I want to be the one who takes care of you. I want to be the one you lean on. I don't want us to just screw around, though. The main thing I want is company. To tell the truth, I get so lonely sometimes I can't stand it."

If only it would be safe to tell Satoru, Shun thought. There was a reason he kept only a select few friends, a reason why he rarely opened up even to those four: a reason why he felt so lonely. On several occasions, Shun's Cantus had exceeded normal power output and startled the Education Committee. They left him alone, though, since no harm was caused by the mishaps, and Shun was such a promising student. However, since summer camp a year ago, Shun's Cantus had somehow mutated things around him twice. Because of this, he worried his Cantus was unpredictable and untrustworthy.

The first time it happened, Shun unintentionally made a basket of strawberries turn rotten. In just an instant they turned from fresh and juicy berries to dead, stinking matter surrounded by flies. Another time, Shun lost control of his power for a second and some of the energy touched a small spider. The arachnid grew twice as large and gained the ability to jump. It quickly killed all other household bugs. Shun had eventually found the spider and killed it, hoping his family hadn't seen the obviously altered animal. What did this mean for people close to him?

Shun had yet to discover that Cantus constantly leaks from all users subconsciously. Even so, he theorized on his own that some of the energy leaked sometimes from some people, thus causing the strange evolution of the last thousand years of natural history. Shun also had no idea that subconsciously mutating one's surroundings was a symptom of a disease… a symptom of Karma Demon. Still, he figured that he must have poor control of his Cantus. Thus, he feared being in contact with other people. But now it was time to stop hiding and face his fears.

"Whatever's bothering you," offered Satoru, "I'll listen. And I'll definitely keep you company."

"Well, then. Will you go on a date with me this week?" Shun asked at last. "I'll take you the Library here in Hayring. I think the main librarian, Mrs. Watanabe, would show us some books on Kamisu Architecture. There should be blueprints for the waterwheels and canal systems, too. Does that sound good?"

Unable to hide his joy, Satoru pounced. He embraced Shun with so much force that the dark-haired boy fell down in the grass on the side of the path. Satoru laughed nervously, and, shrugging, Shun let himself laugh, too. Then both boys had the same idea at the same moment. They stopped laughing, looked at each other appreciatively, and shared their first kiss.

***Hayring Town Center, Hayring Village, Kamisu 66***

The next evening, the members of Group One decided to attend a festival together. Mamoru said he needed to help his parents operate one of the festival stalls, so the other four adolescents would have to enjoy things on their own. Now that Saki had accepted Maria and Shun had chosen Satoru, the festival night almost became a double date. However, there were more than a few moments where they felt pleased to be all together as a group.

Saki remembered that night for her whole life. It would become painful later, when she lost so many friends, and so many things changed. At the moment, though, she could enjoy the festival in ignorant bliss. None of them knew that the good times would be so short.

Shun played games and won a couple prizes at the entertainment stalls. He didn't know he would die at fourteen after unintentionally killing his parents and everyone in Pinewind Village. Maria chatted and joked with everyone at the festival, including people on the Ethics and Education Committees. She didn't know she would die after trying to run away from those same people. Saki bought a monster rat mask and wore it laughingly, never knowing she would have to fight against the monster rat rebellion. At an origami stall, Satoru built the cleverest and most durable designs. He didn't know that he would one day use those skills to help rebuild Kamisu after the rat rebellion.

As for Mamoru, he humbly helped out his parents and then returned home to work on his paintings. He started work on a piece of art depicting himself and all his friends in Sage Academy's Group One. By and by, Mamoru's father entered the mini studio. The picture showed some very pretty young women, he said. Half chidingly, he asked if his son had chosen a lover yet.

"No, dad," said the boy, "I don't have anyone like that."

Mamoru sighed softly, thinking of Maria. His chance to be with her had come and gone. Then again, life was long, and there may be another chance a few years down the road. In the meantime, Mamoru would stay friends with Maria. Having her pay any attention to him at all was good enough. He would keep trying to capture the perfect picture of her elegance.

"But you're so anxious all the time," observed Mr. Itou. "A lover would help. Can't you just choose one already?"

"No," Mamoru replied; "I would rather wait for the right one."

Mr. Itou laughed and said that nobody would be left if he did nothing but wait.

"I know," said Mamoru with a smile. "I'm prepared for that. But I won't love anyone except Her."

Neither the boy nor his father could have guessed that, some day, Mamoru's waiting would pay off. He would end up running away from Kamisu 66 with Maria. They would live together in the wilderness. Their lives would be short but happy. Little did Mamoru know he would father Maria's child someday. And little did he know about the monster that poor child would become.


End file.
